The Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ), in collaboration with the Caisse Desjardins de la Culture and Le Devoir, announces that Mireille Métellus and Manuel Mathieu, of Haitian origin, will be honored by the Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec on June 9 at the Espace Orange of the Wilder Building in Montreal, where they will receive the title of Compagnon des arts et des lettres du Québec (Companion of the Arts and Letters of Quebec) alongside eight other recipients.

The Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec, under the presidency of Sophie Prégent, is an honorary distinction awarded by the CALQ that pays tribute to figures in the cultural sector for their exceptional contribution to the growth and reputation for excellence of the arts and letters in Quebec, both here and abroad.

Mireille Métellus (Theater) :

An actress, teacher, special education teacher, and psychosocial worker, Mireille Métellus has embraced teaching, television, film, theater, and dance with equal passion. Through the diversity of her roles, she has attracted new audiences to theaters and brought often-overlooked human experiences to light, leading us to take a different look at society. Her unwavering artistic and community commitment makes her one of Quebec's most well-known and appreciated artists of African descent.

Manuel Mathieu (Visual Arts) :

Born in Port-au-Prince, Manuel Mathieu uses painting, sculpture, video, poetry, and installation to explore the connections between past and present, personal and political. Prized on the international contemporary art circuit, her works are exhibited worldwide and are featured in prestigious public and private collections. He endowed the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts with the first fund dedicated to acquiring works by emerging Quebec and Canadian artists who are unrepresented or underrepresented in the Museum's collection. In 2023, his film Pendulum won the Best Short Film award at the International Festival of Films on Art, and a year later, in 2024, he was awarded the King Charles III Medal, recognizing his contribution to Canada.

IH/ iciHaiti