Éric Desmarais, Sporobole: A Canary in the Technological Mine – An interview by Jean Gagnon

[Winter 2025]

Sporobole: A Canary in the Technological Mine
Éric Desmarais interviewed by Jean Gagnon

[EXCERPT]

In botanical science, a sporobolus is a drought­tolerant grass with long, dense leaves.1 In art, it refers to Sporobole, an artist-run centre in Sher­brooke, Quebec. Rooted in its city and region for more than fifty years, first as the Regroupement des artistes des Cantons-de-l’Est (RACE) and then as Galerie Horace, Sporobole stands as a gold standard in digital matters, defined by its explo­ration, experimentation, and even “guidance services” for artists and all cultural organizations “making the digital shift.” At a time when artificial intelligence (AI) is infiltrating creation, it seemed like a good idea to learn about Sporo­bole’s position in this regard. So, I asked the organization’s executive director, Éric Desmarais, a few questions.

jean gagnon: As its website reminds us, Sporobole celebrated its fiftieth anniversary – since the foundation of RACE – in 2023. Its aptly phrased slogan “Punk since 1973” is on full display there. A text recounting the centre’s history says simply – even laconically – about the birth of the new organization, “In 2009, the organization reviewed its mission and became Sporobole, centre en art actuel.” That’s all! Can you tell us more about this transformation?

éric desmarais: In the early 2000s, RACE (then Galerie Horace) was facing a severe crisis. It was receiving skeletal public funding ($70,000), which didn’t cover even a single salary and minimum operating costs. It also owned a costly century-old building that provided very low returns; we still own it today. The crisis reached a peak in 2008, when we received an ultimatum from our main funding body to restructure or see our tiny subsidies cut. The organization was squeezed between its community-oriented origins and the professional and internationalist aims of the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec and its peers. So, a radical change was in order: find a new name and start over. In 2009, the organization became Sporobole and began to reconstruct itself.

[ Complete issue, in print and digital version, available here: Ciel variable 128 – CHANGE OF SCENE ]
[ Complete article in digital version available here: Éric Desmarais, Sporobole: A Canary in the Technological Mine – An interview by Jean Gagnon]

Notes

  1. 1 Its common name is “dropseed.” The word “Sporobolus” is derived from the ancient Greek words sporos (seed) and ballo (to throw). See www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=f680.