MTL Clowns

We are passionate gatherers of fools and lovers of laughter.

Founded in 2016 in Canada’s circus capital by two female clowns, Vanessa Rigaux and Kendall Savage, the festival creates opportunities for performers to present original works that fall under the Clown, Bouffon or Physical Theatre spectrums. Our goal is to showcase local, national and international clown artists, creating links to Montreal with clown communities throughout the world. The festival is designed to create opportunities for emerging artists and professional artists to meet, experiment, perform, and exchange clown practices, and to offer audiences at large the opportunity to enjoy and discover the subversive and ancient art of clowning.

We welcome performers of all genders, cultures and identities. We are dedicated to cultivating a bilingual, multicultural program, welcoming French, English and also physical and nonsensical language of the clown. The Montreal Clown Festival offers unique performance opportunities for clowns to apply for, and offers workshops, panel discussions and special events for the public to participate in.

We are committed to upholding the dignity of all members in our community, especially Indigenous, Black, and Peoples of colour who continually face racialized violence, discrimination and prejudice, at times even within our own circles. We are committed to seeking ways to create safer spaces and amplify IBPOC voices. Be there no harassment or discrimination to any race, colour, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, or ability. whether it be our online space or our physical performance spaces, we strive to create an inclusive experience for all.