Carla Beauvais receives the prestigious King Charles III Coronation Medal
Last week, in an intimate and emotional setting, Carla Beauvais, co-founder and Executive Director of the Fondation Dynastie, received the King Charles III Coronation Medal from the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity, Parks Canada and Lieutenant of Quebec. This symbolic distinction is awarded to Canadians who have made a significant contribution to their community.
Although this recognition is officially personal, Carla was eager to share it with her team, as she always does with anything that holds meaning for her: "I receive this medal with gratitude and humility, but above all, I think of my team, of the people who support me, and of those who, like me, believe that culture is a driver of social transformation.”
The ceremony was held in the offices of the Fondation Dynastie right where ideas are born, projects are shaped, and a more inclusive future is imagined.
Recognition and a reminder
This medal highlights Carla Beauvais’ journey, but she chose to use the occasion as an opportunity to draw attention to the challenges facing the cultural sector especially when it comes to diversity, representation, or simply funding.
"Every day, we have to be creative to do more with less. We imagine events, create programs, support artists, and professionalize talent—all in a context where resources are becoming scarcer. It was important for me to share our reality with the Minister and, above all, to show him the tremendous work being done by the Fondation Dynastie."
The conversation with Minister Guilbeault before the ceremony helped bring these issues to the forefront: the gradual withdrawal of certain public funders, the difficulty of ensuring long-term program sustainability, and the pressing need to imagine new models of cultural funding.These are the challenges the Fondation Dynastie faces with clarity but above all, with determination.
A Fondation driving change
Since 2016, the Fondation Dynastie has been working to promote access, recognition, and professionalization for Afrodescendant artists and professionals in the fields of arts, media, and culture. It does so through flagship initiatives like the Gala Dynastie and the Sommet Dynastie, as well as through impactful programs such as Rire en scène, À vos plumes, and more recently, Écho Musique.
Behind these successes are women and men who believe in the power of culture as a tool for impact. People who, often behind the scenes, build bridges, take on challenges, and invent new ways of doing things.
For today, and tomorrow
Carla Beauvais is one of those people who refuse to see commitment as a sacrifice. For her, it’s a legacy. With her daughter present at the ceremony, she wanted to send a clear message:"I wanted her to feel the importance of being involved. To understand that committing yourself also means dreaming bigger for yourself and for others."
Her journey, shaped in Saint-Michel and informed by the realities of inequality and the fight for social justice, has always been driven by a pragmatic vision for change. Not the kind of change announced with slogans, but the kind that’s built through action, through listening, through real-life work.
Today, this medal confirms the impact of that commitment. More importantly, it strengthens a deep conviction: that culture is a powerful answer to social fractures. And that organizations like the Fondation Dynastie have a crucial role to play in building that future.
A mission that lives on
At the Fondation Dynastie, this recognition is celebrated with pride but with both feet firmly on the ground. There are still many challenges ahead: securing funding, retaining teams, ensuring the sustainability of initiatives, and creating safe, empowering spaces for the artists of tomorrow.
But the vision is alive. So is the passion. And as long as there are committed teams and young people dreaming of creating and expressing themselves, culture will remain a place of possibility and a path forward.
