Although there has never really been any tradition or programming devoted specifically to radio art on the French-Language FM Stereo Network of the Société Radio-Canada (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), this form of artistic expression does attract some interest. For more than twenty years, the SRC has contributed to the creation of musical works designed for the radio medium through commissions as part, for example, of the Prix Italia and the Gilson Award (Community of French-Language Public Broadcasters). The Corporation has also supported specific program projects and series. For example, "Droit de Cité" (aired in June 1992) was an ambitious radio art event that introduced real-time, natural and recomposed audio landscapes as part of a live broadcast. A further example is "Le Chant de la Terre," a 10-part series that explored the evocative powers of audio landscapes. The series was aired in the summer of 1994. More recently, in 1996, the SRC was involved in Rivers and Bridges, a international event organise by the ARS ACUSTICA group. The participation of the SRC was to erect a real live soundbridge between two cities, Montreal and Quebec, via their studios where two group of sound performers and audio artists do a live performance.

As well, each program would sometimes explore, within the confines of its mandate, other possible ways and avenues of artistic expression. This might include, for example, more engaging mixes, as well as the radical revamping of a program format or of traditional relationships between words, sounds and music. With such creative activity, the program itself rather than what it broadcasts or says is what has the potential for radio art.

Two producers are directly involved in radio art or radiophonic creation where new music is frequently involved: Hélène Prévost and Mario Gauthier.
The latter have produced, with Claire Bourque as co-producer, DROIT DE CITÉ, and as a producer, LA GRANDE DIAGONALE, the SRC-AVATAR contribution to the RIVERS and BRIDGES event.

Contact: Mario Gauthier