The GardeFeu organization

For artists of fire
By artists of fire

GardeFeu is a non-profit organization founded in 2016 in Montreal, QC, Canada.

Its primary function is to promote safe practices in fire arts and raise awareness among fire artists of the legal issues surrounding this practice.

GardeFeu is self-financed by fire artists and receives no public funding. Nearly 75% of the organization’s expenses are related to insurance costs, and the vast majority of staff are volunteers.

GardeFeu teaches the safest practices in fire arts at its training evenings and via private instructors covering Quebec, Ontario and the Maritime provinces.

GardeFeu offers a weekly safe training environment in Montreal from April to October, and a professional artist certification system covering all of Canada.

All our fire activities are carried out with the permission of the owner of the premises, an authorization from the local fire department and appropriate insurance.

Learning – Training – Certification

Achievements

Canada's first legal fire arts training open to all

On November 28, 2016, GardeFeu organized the very first legal fire art training open to artists of all levels, in collaboration with Clowns Sans Frontières, PurFX and La TOHU. This first in Canada history was the fruit of several years’ work and would become the weekly rendez-vous for many artists.

First amateur artist to enter the world of fire art in a totally legal manner

Did you know that in the past, many Montreal fire artists had to train in secret, often in unsanitary conditions?

By organizing its training sessions, GardeFeu has been able to offer a legal and safe gateway for up-and-coming fire artists. This artist, in the photograph above, is the very first to enter the world of fire arts legally and safely thanks to our events, it was on June 14, 2017.

Two human lives saved

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

Sympatisans

Fire artists trained in the last year

Active fire artists

Certified professional artists

* Figures as of September 2024

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.

The team

Board of Directors

  • Audrey Leblant, president, secretary
  • Patrick Lagacé, vice-president, treasurer
  • Valérie Lavallé, administrator
  • Christina Popescu, administrator

Executives

General Director

  • Patrick Lagacé​

Certification director

  • Pascal Duguay Gosselin

Workshop coordination

  • Marilyn Dubois

Self training supervisors

  • Omar salvando rivera Ponce
  • Steve Gagné

Social media

  • Audrey Gauthier

Advisors

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

Postes à combler

  • Spécialiste en subvention
  • Comptable / Vérificateur comptable

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

Photo: Hugo St-Laurent