The Salon du livre de l'Outaouais, the French Embassy in Canada, and Le français pour l'avenir, in collaboration with the Regroupement des éditeurs franco-canadiens, La baladeuse, and Gauvin, are excited to launch a new edition of the Lance ton balado! contest. This contest is open to young people across Canada and gives them the opportunity to create a podcast in French on a given theme.
This year, for the first time, two winning teams will participate in the Salon du livre de l'Outaouais book fair from February 20 to 23, 2026, with all expenses paid. They will also gain professional post-production experience and enjoy stimulating and inspiring encounters with industry professionals.
For this fourth edition, artist Xénia Gould volunteered to be the spokesperson for the competition. She invites young people from across Canada to participate and put their hearts into it. She will host the awards ceremony at the Salon in February 2026.
The contest is open free of charge to all students in grades 7 through 12 who reside in Canada (secondary 1 through 5 and CEGEP 1 in Quebec). Students can form teams (maximum 3 people) to create their own podcast in French and submit their creation before January 16, 2026, on the contest website https://slo.qc.ca/prix-et-concours/lance-ton-balado/. Two teams will be declared winners of the contest, one in the "French as a second language" category and another in the "French as a mother tongue" category. A final team will be awarded the "jury's favorite" prize!
Theme of the year: The voice of forbidden books
The theme of the 2025 edition of the competition invites young people to immerse themselves in the mysterious, sometimes subversive world of censored works throughout history and around the world. Behind every forbidden page lies a voice that someone tried to silence: that of an author, a people, an idea, or an uncomfortable truth. What if these silenced books could finally express themselves? What messages, emotions, and revolutions could they inspire? In a global context where freedom of expression is sometimes threatened, this theme proposes to give a voice back to forgotten, hidden, or banned stories in order to question our relationship to freedom, memory, and the power of words.
Contest participants are free to choose the genre of their podcast: narrative, interview, roundtable discussion, documentary, or any other creative format. Originality, passion, and quality of content will be rewarded.
"The SLO is thrilled to continue working with its valued partners to host this fourth edition of the Canada-wide podcast contest. It is through creativity, imagination, and communication that French has the opportunity to survive and thrive among young people across the country. Whether this is your first or third time participating, whether you live in Iqaluit, Charlottetown, or Gatineau, we invite you once again this year to let your creativity shine and submit a podcast!" - Lisanne Rheault-Leblanc, Artistic Director and Co-Director of the Salon du livre de l'Outaouais.
"After winning over audiences in previous editions, the Lance ton Balado project is back for a fourth edition with the theme: The Voice of Banned Books.' This is an opportunity to pick up the microphone and creatively explore how banned books continue to resonate, inspire, and challenge our daily lives. Let your imagination run wild and make your voice heard in French!" - Alice Valade-Furia, Cooperation and Cultural Action Advisor at the French Embassy in Canada.
"The Lance ton balado! contest opens the door to creativity for young Francophones and Francophiles across Canada. Whether you live in a city or a small town area, this contest is designed to give you the chance to share your ideas and stories with the rest of the country. Your originality will make all the difference: let your imagination guide your creations and let your voice shine!" - Emeline Leurent, directrice générale du Français pour l'avenir.
Those who have never produced a podcast before need not worry! A video overviewing the essentials of podcast creation, produced by Marie-Hélène Frenette-Assad of La baladeuse, will be provided upon request to school groups and/or young people interested in participating in the contest.
Students must submit their podcasts by January 16, 2026, to participate. The jury's decision will be announced at a press conference to unveil the honorary panel and the complete program for the Salon du livre de l'Outaouais, which will be broadcast live online in early February.
For more details and to access the registration form, visit the Outaouais Book Fair website: https://slo.qc.ca/prix-et-concours/lance-ton-balado/
