Québec, July 3, 2025. – In 2023, there were more than 20,000 show performances in Québec, and attendance reached a high of 8.8 million admissions, up from 16,000 performances and 7.0 million admissions in 2004. The number of show performances and admissions have therefore increased by 25% and 26%, respectively, over the past 20 years.
Record year for ticket revenues, concentrated among large presenters
Between 2004 and 2023, taking inflation into account, ticket revenues rose from $182 million to $278 million (+53%), a record year in Québec.
The attendance and ticket revenue records posted in 2023 were mainly due to the exceptional performance of a few large presenters, which captured a large share of Québec’s performing arts market.
In 2018, about 20 presenters made up half of show attendance in Québec. Five years later, this same share of attendance was split between about 10 presenters.
In 2018, 75% of ticket revenues went to around 30 show presenters. Five years later, this same share of revenues was divided among approximately 15 presenters.
Attendance on the rise in most disciplines in the past 20 years
Attendance increased in most performing arts disciplines between 2004 and 2023.
Attendance to song performances rose from 2.0 million to 3.0 million admissions (+53%). The increase was particularly pronounced for English song shows (+79% vs. +28% for French song shows).
In contrast, attendance to theatre performances decreased from 1.7 million to 1.5 million admissions (-11%).
Market share of Québec-produced shows down
Between 2004 and 2023:
- The number of Québec-produced show performances grew from 14,000 to 18,000 (+29%).
- Attendance rose from 5.5 million to 6.3 million admissions (+13%).
- Ticket revenues increased from $132 million to $240 million. Taking into account inflation, ticket revenues went from $132 million to $163 million (+24%).
In performing arts overall in Québec in 2023, Québec productions accounted for 89% of performances, 71% of attendance, and 59% of ticket revenues.
Compared with 2004, the share of performances was up (+3 percentage points), but the share of both attendance (-8 percentage points) and ticket revenues
(-13 percentage points) was down.
These results indicate that although Québec shows posted an increase in attendance and ticket revenues, they still lost market share to shows from elsewhere.
Reduced concentration in central regions
Between 2004 and 2023, show attendance increased in most administrative regions. Over that period, attendance more than doubled in the Mauricie region (+116%) as well as in Laval and Laurentides (+113%), but declined in Outaouais (-21%).
In 2023, over half of performing arts performances (57%) were in the central regions of Montréal and Capitale-Nationale, which accounted for nearly two thirds of show attendance in Québec (62%). This represents a loss of a few percentage points from 2004. Meanwhile, outlying regions (Chaudière-Appalaches, Laval and Laurentides, Lanaudière and Montérégie) posted gains.
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