Initiated by Patrick Lacasse and Alexis Bellavance, VIVA! was founded in 2006 by six artist-run centres from the Greater Montreal area to support the production of events dedicated to the presentation and advancement of action art practices and knowledge. The organisation’s energies are primarily focused on VIVA! Art Action, an international biennial that provides the public with a convivial context in which to encounter performance art in its most striking and avant-garde forms.