Québec, a bold,
unifying city
open to the world.

Inspiring and creative

Québec has been part of UNESCO’s global Creative Cities Network as a City of Literature since 2017. It was the first francophone city to receive this distinction.

Discover the diverse initiatives that attest to the literary vitality of Québec—the cradle of French-language culture in North America.

Initiatives

Discover the various initiatives that showcase the literary vitality of the birthplace of French-speaking North America.

L'ambassade de l'utopie

Developped by the cities of Manchester and Tartu, this project is an open forum for speeches, words, ideas and performances.

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Poetry Pen Pals

Carried out in partnership with the Morrin Centre, this project connects Québec City with Dunedin, New Zealand through poetry and handwritten correspondence.

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UNESCO circular residency

L'ICQ and the Maison de la littérature launched in 2024 a residency program in partnership with other cities of literature dedicated to professional authors.

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Toponymie

This exhibition reveals through words and images the origins of place names for each of the cities of literature participating in the 2023 annual meeting.

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Discover

Discover Quebec City's rich literary life and the artists who make it happen.

23 janvier 2026

Artificial intelligence and creation: issues and practices

Initiated during the 2025 Annual Conference of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, this publication explores the impacts of artificial intelligence in creative domains, such as literature.

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17 novembre 2025

The Maison de la littérature celebrates its 10th anniversary

Over the years, the Maison de la littérature has become a central hub in Québec City’s vibrant literary and cultural scene. Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Maison de la littérature is more dynamic than ever.

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14 novembre 2025

The 14th annual Salon du livre des Premières Nations

The 14th annual Salon du livre des Premières Nations (First Nations Book Fair) is back from November 27 to 30 with more than 30 Indigenous authors.

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Creative cities network

Created in 2004, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network now includes 350 member cities. The Network aims to promote cooperation among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development.

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