We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Vicky B. Ouellette a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Vicky, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is le Festival Ctrl+Alt, a micro-festival dedicated to the underground nightlife in Montreal. It was our first edition, entirely public-funded through a 30K grant from the City of Montreal, and we had only four months to bring it to life with a small team of three people. Despite these limited resources, we were able to distribute 18K to the six collectives we hosted over the span of three days, each representing a different facet of Montreal’s diverse DNA.

These collectives catered to marginalized communities such as trans (binary and non-binary), lesbian, Black, and Latinx communities. In total, we showcased 42 local artists across various disciplines, from electronic music and live performances to pole dancing, gogo dancing, and drag. Each artist, unique and marginalized in their own way, embodied the core essence of the festival.

But what made Ctrl+Alt so special is that it was “for us, by us.” It felt like a deeply personal mission to highlight voices that had been systemically silenced, creating a space where marginalized communities could be seen, heard, and celebrated. For STUDIO ZX, this project marked a significant turning point. After years of building a network of talents and collaborators, this festival was a chance to leverage our connections and make a real impact. We believed that if we didn’t take this opportunity, no one else would.

This project was healing for our community. It felt like we were finally giving people the visibility, value, and care they deserved. It was just the beginning, but for that brief moment, it felt like we were changing the world—and the world paused to say thank you

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m Vicky B. Ouellette, a multifaceted creator and cultural producer based in Montreal, and I’ve built my career through passion, community, and a love for the underground arts. I wear many hats: Directrice Générale of STUDIO ZX, president of the Conseil de Nuit with MTL 24/24, producer-curator of the Ctrl+Alt Festival, and a proud club kid on weekends. My path into this industry wasn’t linear; it came from an organic connection to nightlife and the communities that flourish in those spaces. And as a trans woman, to connect, discuss, foster community and build relationships is a need, not a want. How else are we supposed to survive oppression? And so, over the years, I realized the power that art, music, and performance have in shaping culture and advocating for marginalized voices.

At STUDIO ZX, our focus is on providing platforms for talent that often goes unseen. We offer programming for events, festivals, and productions that highlight marginalized communities, particularly those under the 2SLGBTQIA+ umbrella, including trans, QTBIPOC, and queer artists. Our services range from event production, curating talent, and developing training programs, to helping artists navigate the often elitist and exclusionary spaces of the arts and entertainment industries. We solve the problem of visibility for marginalized voices, creating spaces where they can thrive and be celebrated.

What sets us apart is that we’re for us, by us—deeply rooted in the communities we represent. We bring authenticity and a human touch to everything we do, from our festivals like Ctrl+Alt to our educational programs like Noctambule, which empower the next generation of nightlife and drag performers. Our mission is to challenge the status quo and make sure that everyone, regardless of their identity, has access to spaces of creation and visibility.

I’m most proud of how far we’ve come as a team, and how much we’ve been able to achieve with limited resources. Every project we do feels like a collective victory for the communities we serve. At the heart of what I do is the belief that art, nightlife, and culture are powerful tools for social change.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

To best support artists, creatives, and a thriving creative ecosystem, society needs to make several key shifts:

1. Increase Public Funding: Art should not be a privilege but a right, and public funding plays a crucial role in making this possible. Governments and institutions need to allocate more resources to support grassroots and marginalized creators. This means more grants, subsidies, and publicly funded opportunities for artists from diverse backgrounds, not just those with institutional connections.

2. Foster Inclusive Spaces: We need to create environments where artists, particularly those from underrepresented communities, feel safe, welcomed, and valued. This requires more inclusive venues, platforms, and programs that actively dismantle elitism and gatekeeping, allowing more voices to emerge.

3. Accessible Education and Training: Offering affordable or free education in the arts, as well as training in the business aspects of creativity, is essential. Programs like Noctambule (which I participated in developing) equip young creatives with practical skills like contract negotiation, content production, and financial management—tools that can help artists sustain themselves in the long run.

4. Support Local Art: Societal attitudes toward supporting local talent need to shift. It’s important to nurture local art scenes by attending shows, purchasing works from artists, and collaborating with creatives within our communities. People often overlook local talent in favor of mainstream or international artists, but by focusing on our own cities, we create ecosystems that thrive organically.

5. Respect and Fair Compensation: Artists deserve to be compensated fairly for their work. Too often, artists are asked to perform or create for exposure instead of being paid. Recognizing the value of art and making sure that artists can sustain themselves financially is crucial for the ecosystem’s survival.

6. Platform Diversity: We need more platforms—whether digital or physical—that showcase diverse forms of art, voices, and stories. This includes prioritizing queer, trans, BIPOC, and other marginalized artists who may not have access to mainstream channels. Representation across the board enriches the creative landscape and fosters a more vibrant, inclusive world.

7. Encourage Cross-Sector Collaboration: When artists collaborate with businesses, institutions, and communities, they can create work that impacts more people and opens new doors. Society should encourage more cross-disciplinary collaborations, integrating art into spaces like healthcare, education, and public infrastructure.

By supporting creatives in these ways, we ensure a future where art is not only appreciated but thrives as a key element of social, cultural, and economic change.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Absolutely, my creative journey is deeply driven by the goal of empowering my community and creating the opportunities I wish I had when I first started. As a trans woman and a member of the underground arts scene, I’ve seen firsthand the barriers that marginalized artists face—not only in terms of resources but also in gaining access to the platforms that can elevate their voices.

My mission is to break down those barriers by providing spaces where marginalized artists, especially those from the queer, trans, and BIPOC communities, can thrive. I want to bridge the gap between decision-makers, funders, and the incredible, often overlooked wealth of our culture. Our stories, talents, and perspectives are powerful, and I want those in positions of influence to recognize their value and support them meaningfully.

Through STUDIO ZX, I aim to build a network that fosters these connections and ensures that the community I’m a part of is no longer relegated to the sidelines. It’s about visibility, accessibility, and making sure that those coming up after me don’t have to fight as hard to find their place in the creative ecosystem. We have a wealth of talent, resilience, and culture that deserves to be seen and celebrated on every level—from underground venues to mainstream stages. This mission is what drives everything I do, from producing festivals to curating programs and advocating for my community.

A star is only but a distant light before it’s discovered.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.zx.studio/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/studio.zx/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vicky-b-ouellette-4a03031a7/

Image Credits

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