A melting pot of artistic forms originating in both Europe and North America, Québec is wellspring of creative energy and cultural vitality that is as evident in literature, music, theatre, dance and circus arts as it is in painting, sculpture and fine handicrafts.

Many plays and choreographies are premiered on Québec stages every year. Montréal and Québec City each have their own symphony orchestra and opera company.

Numerous annual festivals demonstrate the quality of Québec productions, and increasingly closer ties are being built between Québec creators and the international community. On the stage, note the Festival de théâtre des Amériques, the Festival international de nouvelle danse, the Just For Laughs Festival and the Festival d'été de Québec. As for singing and classical music, there's the Francofolies, the festivals in Lanaudière, Orford and at the Domaine Forget, and, of course, the Montréal Jazz Festival. And there are renowned film festivals in Montréal and Abitibi-Témiscamingue, as well as the popular book fairs in Montréal, Québec City and Gatineau.