S.O.U.L. Montréal

Vision

What we strive for

S.O.U.L. Montréal envisions a future where underground spaces are places of real freedom — not freedom at the expense of others, but freedom within a framework of mutual respect.

Respectful Coexistence

An environment where everyone can move, dance and exist without fear of encroaching or being encroached upon. One person's freedom ends where another's begins — and this is lived, not decreed.

Collective Safety

A scene where safety is not outsourced to a few bouncers but experienced by all participants. Everyone is both protected and protector.

Lucid Joy

A celebration that doesn't require amnesia or total carelessness — a night where you can be fully present, in your body, in the space, with others.

Mission

Why S.O.U.L. exists

S.O.U.L. Montréal was born from an observation: the Montréal underground scene is alive, creative and precious — and it lacks a shared ethical framework to endure and grow in a healthy way.

No codes imposed from the outside. No bureaucratic regulations. A framework co-built by those who live the night — organizers, artists, volunteers, participants.

Our mission: create and distribute a collective ethical Code that protects what makes the underground night unique, while making these spaces accessible and safe for everyone.

Our Values

Our Core Values

They are not decorative. They are not there to reassure. They come from the community. From frank discussions. From what we want to protect.

Twenty values emerged from the workshop. They were distilled into ten mantras — organized into three pillars.

What is a S.O.U.L. mantra?

A short, memorable and positive phrase that recalls an essential behaviour for living together at night. Not rules — shared reflexes, born on the ground. See all 10 mantras →

01

A Framework That Protects Freedom

Freedom without a framework becomes chaos.
A framework without awareness becomes control.
We choose something else.

—Rules don't come from above — they are decided together.
—Physical, emotional and collective safety is non-negotiable.
—Everyone is responsible for the energy they bring into the space.
—Inaction is part of the problem.
—The spaces that welcome us are rare. We respect them. We protect them.

Here, freedom exists because it is held.

02

Clear, Respectful, Conscious Interactions

Nothing is implied.

—Consent is clear. Enthusiastic. Revocable.
—Silence is not a yes. A doubt is a no.
—Respect is not performed. It is lived.
—Goodwill is active. It shows in the details.
—Real presence matters more than digital staging.
—Diversity is not a slogan — it is the living reality of the space.

Here, everyone has their place. And everyone has a responsibility.

03

A Culture That Goes Beyond the Party

Music first. Always.
Not as background noise.
As a common language.

—The underground is not a trend. It is an ethic.
—Those who know pass it on. Those who arrive listen, observe, learn.
—What we do at night shapes far more than a few hours.
—The dancefloor can be a space of social experimentation — where we test other ways of being together.
—We don't just come to consume a night out. We participate in a culture.

History

How S.O.U.L. Montréal was born

1977

The roots of the underground lineage

The underground spirit traces back to Larry Levan's Paradise Garage in New York, to the clubs of Detroit, Chicago, Berlin and London — spaces founded on inclusion, freedom and music as a vehicle for collective connection. S.O.U.L. is part of this lineage.

2022

First observations

Members of the Montréal underground scene begin naming what is being lost — repeated incidents without collective response, participants who don't come back, spaces that close down. The question emerges: how do we protect what makes these nights unique?

2023

Formation of the S.O.U.L. initiative

A group of founders comes together around a shared vision: co-building an ethical framework for the underground scene. Not just another organization — a grassroots approach, with the people of the night.

2024

Founding workshop

About twenty scene stakeholders gather for a day of collective work. Organizers, artists, volunteers, participants: together they identify 10 ethical mantras and produce 16 video capsules documenting their reflection.

2026

The Charter takes shape

The mantras are submitted to the broader community for validation and enrichment. The public consultation brings together hundreds of voices. In April 2026, the results are unanimous — 10 co-created mantras form the Underground Ethics Charter. See the workshop capsules →

Governance

Board of Directors

Federally incorporated in February 2026, S.O.U.L. Montréal is governed by a volunteer board drawn from the community.

Non-profit organization — Spirit Of Underground Living

President

Christophe Côté

Vice-President

Christian Généreux

Treasurer

Gilles Bertrand

Secretary

Geneviève Canuel

Admin & Liaisons

Kat Coric

Actions

What S.O.U.L. does concretely

S.O.U.L. is not a surveillance organization. It's a tool serving the scene — educational, participatory and free.

Underground Ethics Charter development

Participatory co-construction of the Charter with the community, partnerships with venues and organizers who wish to adopt it, and ongoing evolution over time.

Public awareness & social research

Video capsules, practical guides, educational content and community data collection to document the realities of the scene and normalize ethical culture.

Consultation, workshops & training

Collective work sessions, training workshops for organizers and teams, and open consultation to enrich the Charter with the community.

Ambitions

3 directions for the future

01

Make the Underground Ethics Charter accessible to the entire Montréal scene — organizers, artists, volunteers, participants.

02

Cultivate a culture of caring intervention in every party space, carried by the people who live the night.

03

Create the conditions to encourage other communities to build their own ethical framework, adapted to their realities.

For a more conscious
nightlife culture.

What we strive for

Why S.O.U.L. exists