The organization

For fire artists
By fire artists

Mission

To develop and teach the best safety standards in fire arts in accordance with local regulations.

Enable fire artists and troops of all levels to develop safely and help them reach their full potential.

To be the legal gateway for anyone wishing to learn the arts of fire, regardless of their social condition.

Support community organizations helping vulnerable populations.

Vision

A society where fire performers can develop safely and make a living from their arts while contributing to their community.

Achievements

Soirées d'entraînement
200
Artistes formés
200
Spectacles
20
Accidents
0

FIRST EVER LEGAL OPEN FIRE ARTS TRAINING OPEN TO ALL IN QUÉBEC! 

On November 28th, 2016, GardeFeu organized the first ever open fire arts training for artists of all levels, in collaboration with Clowns Sans Frontières, PurFX and La TOHU. This first in Quebec's history was the result of several years of work and was to become the weekly rendezvous of many artists.

FIRST AMATEUR ARTIST TO ENTER THE WORLD OF FIRE ARTS WITH LEGAL ACCESS TO QUEBEC!

Did you know that many Montreal fire artists used to have to train in secret in places that were often unhealthy?

Through the organization of its training sessions, GardeFeu was able to offer a safe and legal gateway to the next generation of firefighters. This artist, in the above photograph, is the very first to enter the world of fire arts in a legal and safe manner through our events, it was on June 14th 2017.

TWO LIVES SAVED

In 2019 FireWatch began offering CPR training to its members through the Profan 2.0 program in association with Méta d'âme. To date, GardeFeu artists have saved the lives of two citizens.

Team

Board of Directors

  • Patrick Lagacé, president
  • Joannie Olivier, vice-president
  • Mireille Bergeron, secretary
  • Daniel Corbeil, treasurer
  • Sarah Guilbault, advisor

General Director

  • Patrick Lagacé​

Assistant General Director

  • Joannie Olivier

Administrative assistant

  • Geneviève Gagné

Social media

  • Audrey Gauthier

Workshop coordination

  • Mireille Bergeron

Advisors

  • Hugo St-Laurent, social worker
  • Alexandre Tanguay, fire fighter
  • Dr Andrew Bui-Nguyen, medical doctor
  • Anouk Desjardins, nurse

Supervisor

  • Kassie Raymond

 

 

Positions to be filled

  • Subvention specialist

President’s word

Until recently, it was de facto impossible for a fire artist to train legally in Montreal. Fire performers of all caliber, even those performing at the great Montreal festivals in front of thousands of spectators, had to train and rehearse underground in often unhealthy places.

This need for safe and legal training is at the very root of the GardeFeu. Created by fire artists, for fire artists, in collaboration with the Montreal fire department and our partners. GardeFeu is now a must-have in the world of fire arts. We have completed the very first ever free and legal firefighting training in the history of Quebec and we are very proud of it!

We have become the safe and legal gateway to the world of fire arts.

This status reinforces all the more the importance of our work on the GardeFeu protocol, the importance of the quality of our classes and the importance of the availability of our trainings to help artists. We also owe it to ourselves to promote our artists from here by highlighting them. Not to mention the importance of strengthening the voice of the fire arts in circus and political circles.

These goals would be impossible to achieve without the help of a team of dedicated volunteers that I simply consider invaluable. The challenges that lie ahead are many, but so stimulating!

The arts of fire can finally come out of the shadows and shine as they do so well!

Patrick

Collaborators

Photo credit: Hugo St-Laurent