METAs Eligibility Criteria

 General Eligibility Criteria

  1. ALL production registrations MUST be submitted AT LEAST 30 days prior to the first public performance in Montreal (including the Greater Montreal Area and the Eastern Townships).

    a. Late registrations: If your production is within 15-29 days prior to the first public performance in Montreal, please contact registration@metas.ca without delay. Best efforts will be made for jury attendance. The production is automatically ineligible for METAs consideration if registered less than 14 days prior to the first public performance in Montreal.

  2. be produced by (or co-produced with) a Montreal-based company;

    a. The producing company must be registered and operate in the greater Montreal area: present an NEQ (Quebec enterprise number) or the Montreal home address of the principal artistic company member.

  3. be performed primarily in English;

    a. Bilingual productions must be 51% in English (excluding subtitles). Productions presented alternately in English and French (or any other language) must be presented in English for the requisite minimum number of performances (see below).

  4. Present a theatrical run with a minimum of six (6) public performances in Montreal (including the Greater Montreal Area and the Eastern Townships) available for the METAs jury to see.

  5. be performed in a venue that is safe and regulatory;

    a. The presenting venue should have accessible fire exits, sufficient smoke detectors, and washrooms, as prescribed by the Quebec Safety Code, and respect the maximum capacity.

    b. To ensure the jurors’ safety, COVID-19 safety protocol must be clearly outlined at the time of registration.

  6. be performed within the award season (September 1 to August 31);

  7. adhere to the METAs Anti-Harassment Policy.

A Note on Complimentary Jury Tickets: The METAs Committee is mindful of the burden placed on some companies financially with offering a large number complimentary tickets. Suggested complimentary tickets range from minimum twelve (12) to maximum seventeen (15) for this season. This may come in the form of x number of held tickets for the run, or one ticket per performance, etc. Please detail what the Box Office can accommodate in the Professional Registration Form. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you are unable to accommodate the minimum requirement.

Please Note: Though it is our hope that all registrants will be able to abide by the eligibility criteria set forth by the METAs (voted on by the METAs Committee), certain exceptions can be made in the event of “force majeure” circumstances beyond a registering company’s control. Force Majeure that are considered grounds for exception by the METAs include but are not limited to:

  • Sudden/forced venue loss/change (a venue suddenly closing, a venue double booking you causing you to loose a show, etc.)

  • Weather (power loss, rainouts for outdoor shows)

  • Sudden loss of funding/sponsorship beyond the applicants control (ex: a major sponsor of your show goes bankrupt and pulls their financial contribution) 

  • Health (A COVID outbreak or other major illness outbreak within the company causes a show to be canceled, etc)

HOWEVER, in order to ensure our jury can properly and respectfully deliberate on registered productions, any productions that must unfortunately drop below a 4 show run (meaning 3 shows or less) will no longer be eligible for META consideration regardless of circumstance.

Eligibility Criteria for Professional Productions (PACT or INDIE)

  1. In addition to satisfying the general criteria, professional productions both PACT or INDIE must satisfy one of the following:

a. Be produced or co-produced by a PACT company (Professional Association of Canadian Theatres);

i. Co-production models that are eligible for the independent category:
- Co-productions between independent, non-PACT member companies companies
- Co-productions between independent companies and PACT affiliate companies

ii. Co-productions that are NOT eligible for the independent category:
- Co-productions between independent or PACT affiliate companies and full PACT member companies (must be registered as a profession PACT production)

b. Engage artists under an Equity contract: Independent Theatre Agreement (ITA), Artists’ Collective Policy, Dance - Opera - Theatre (DOT) Policy, or the INDIE 2.2;

2. If not engaged under an Equity Contract*, the company must provide documentation that ALL COMPANY MEMBERS involved in the production are being remunerated for their work. This may come in the form of a signed agreement between the company and all production participants stating the method of remuneration (share of net box office profits; honorarium; negotiated rate; etc) There is no set remuneration minimum. *Listed above

Consideration for “New Text (Original or Adaptation)” and / or “New Translation”

For a new text to be eligible for METAs consideration, the professional production must also:

  1. be a world premiere;

  2. be written, adapted or translated by a Montreal writer or translator OR be commissioned by a Montreal-based company.

For eligible new musicals, the credit will be awarded collectively to the book writer(s), composer(s), and lyricist(s).

Note regarding Community Theatre registration

A Community Theatre production is one produced by an organization that is not and does not intend to become professional.

The METAs Community Jury selects one (1) outstanding production to honour each year.


Please note registration for a Community Theatre Production for METAs Consideration is closed until further notice. Stay tuned!

Productions NOT Eligible for METAs Consideration:

  • workshops, readings, or showcases;

  • improvised plays;

  • training productions;

  • festival productions (including off-festival productions)*;

  • productions remounted or revived within five (5) years of the original METAs registered production;

  • productions presented as part of a Montreal company season where the presenting company’s creative or producing involvement is negligible;

  • touring productions:

    • “Touring” denotes productions originating outside of Montreal, where Montreal is a stop on a multi-city tour, and where the development or creative process of the production has negligible ties to the Montreal community. Exceptions may be made for school touring productions, provided at least nine (9) performances in Montreal are accessible to the members of the METAs Jury. The METAs Committee determines eligibility of school touring productions on a case-by-case basis.

    *Exceptions are granted to festival productions that:

    • Meet the general eligibility criteria (INDIE or PACT, see above) 

    • Are presented by a 100% curated festival that is part of a theatre's company's 24/25 season.

Anti-Harassment Policy

The METAs embraces an open and inclusive environment, and encourages respectful behaviour that affirms the dignity of all individuals. The METAs further recognizes our shared responsibility for vigilance in creating and maintaining this safe environment. Companies registered for METAs consideration must adhere to the METAs Anti-Harassment Policy. Failure to comply may result in the cancellation of the company’s registration(s), rendering their production(s) ineligible for METAs consideration.

Rulings on Eligibility

Requests for clarification of uncertain eligibility must be submitted to the METAs Committee at least six (6) weeks prior to the opening performance in Montreal. The METAs Committee has final ruling on eligibility. 

Register your Professional Production Online

Eligibility criteria are subject to change.

UPDATED: January 23rd, 2025