Concours d’art oratoire

The Councours d’art oratoire is Canada’s largest annual French public-speaking competition. 

The competition is open to students in every province and territory in a wide range of age/grade categories and French abilities. Thousands of students participate every year in communities big and small for their opportunity to win prizes and/0r scholarships to postsecondary institutions!

The Concours d’art oratoire has proven to be highly beneficial for students as it:

• stimulates their interest in learning French;
• improves their speaking and pronunciation skills;
• offers them the experience of speaking French in public;
• provides an opportunity to foster a community of active French language learners; and
• demonstrates the relevance of French language instruction in the ‘real world.’

First, students must record and submit their speech presentations. These videos will then be judged within their own province/territory.

Grade 11 & 12 students who place 1st, 2nd and 3rd in each of the categories will move on to the Virtual National Finals.

Students advancing to the Virtual National Final competition may submit the same video or they may re-record their speech for submission.

Students from across Canada compete within pre-determined categories:

• Core French
• Intensive/Extended French
• Early and Late Immersion
• Francophone

Please note: the appropriate category in which the student competes is not necessarily the program they are enrolled in at school, as previous French experiences (e.g., exchange programs, etc.) are also taken into consideration. It is crucial to be consistent with the Category Criteria, as failure to do so may result in disqualification at the Provincial and National CPF Concours d’art oratoire levels.

Please Note: There will be no Impromptu category at the virtual Provincial or National Finals competition in 2021.

The CPF Branch competitions will run between April 1^st and May 15^th, 2021. Check directly with your CPF Branch as registration processes and timelines vary. Winners’ names must be registered by May 25^th to be eligible for the National competition.

Judging at the National competition will take place between June 1^st and June 10^th. Winners will be notified by June 15^th, 2021.

View the full list of scholarship descriptions and eligibility details HERE.

If you have any questions related to the National Finals competition, please contact Marcos Salaiza at msalaiza@cpf.ca 

Students looking for an extra challenge can also take part in #ensembleadistance!

This video contest for small cash prizes is open to students nation-wide. CPF created it as a supplement to the traditional Concour’s d’art oratoire in 2020. It proved to be a terrific success, so we’ve decided to offer this opportunity again in 2021!

To find out more about “Concours Virtuel”, coordinated by our friends at the CPF BC-YK Branch, CLICK HERE!