Quebec’s Cultural and Creative Industries¹ (CCIs) are recognized nationally and internationally for their accomplished artists, quality productions and leading-edge projects. In 2017, they generated an estimated $9.4 billion for the provincial economy and supported more than 100,000 jobs in Montreal alone. CCIs are primarily made up of small and medium businesses and self-employed workers. In Montreal, for example, 64% of CCI businesses are very small, with no more than 5 employees.

While CCIs are generally thriving, they face a number of challenges, including content globalization, technological advancements, fragile collaboration networks and, more recently, the introduction of new health standards which have disrupted their value chains. Furthermore, restricted gathering sizes and social distancing have raised questions about how they can interface with the public.