Vision Statement
Fusion Productions creates emotionally charged entertainment that evokes all the senses, showcasing regional artistic talent and supporting local communities.
FUSION's Journey and Impact
Since the inaugural show in 2011, entrepreneur Matt LeBlanc has curated and developed ten distinctive productions, captivating over 25,000 attendees at 23 events across multiple cities in the Maritimes. The dedicated FUSION team has tirelessly built the productions to their current stature and has ambitious plans for expansion beyond the Maritimes in the near future.
Recognizing artists and arts organizations as vital contributors to community building, we view the arts and our events as powerful tools to connect and fortify communities. FUSION events wield a substantial impact on the communities they inhabit and beyond. To date, our events have raised over $200,000 for various charities, providing a platform for more than 800 local artists, including dancers, singers, musicians, acrobats, gymnasts, tumblers, and many more who have graced our stages since 2011.
Each production is a collaborative effort involving a diverse array of professionals, including choreographers, lighting technicians, sound engineers, costume designers, makeup artists, carpenters, and more. The appeal of FUSION extends beyond regional boundaries, attracting guests from as far as New York City, contributing positively to our local economy and fostering a dynamic cultural exchange.
Our artists attest that their participation in FUSION shows is an unforgettable life experience. The FUSION team dedicates hundreds of hours to provide free training and practice, nurturing emerging talents in various performance disciplines.
As FUSION ventures into new markets, we aim to identify and collaborate with young, talented performers through partnerships with schools, dance academies, cultural centers, and beyond. FUSION is evolving into an artistic backdrop for a diverse array of performances, leaving an indelible mark on the cultural landscape.
FUSION History
The first FUSION event took place in 2011 as a way for founder Matt LeBlanc to showcase his art in an unique way. The idea was to entertain guests and create something sustainable rather than a typical art show where guests feel obligated to buy art from the artist.
After two successful events, he realized that the format needed to change. Focusing solely on art sales would limit the event's potential, so the concept evolved. In the third year, Matt introduced a bigger event in a bigger venue (Casino NB) with a storyline and characters, incorporating a new company and shifting the focus from art sales to selling the show itself and all the artists involved. This change marked a pivotal point.
In year three, with the show Aliyah, the focus shifted to local talents participating in the show rather than on Matt LeBlanc the artist. This transition was fully realized with the shows ARTIFICIS & MAGICA in year four and five.
Bringing MAGICA to Caraquet in 2016 proved to be a game changer for FUSION. With a new show director on the team, Matt could step back from doing everything, and the production director helped streamline the show. MAGICA was a proof of concept that this product could succeed outside home base. The team concluded the year with the new production TUUKO at Casino NB.
TUUKO was well-received, leading to the sequel TUUKO II in 2017, shown twice in Moncton and for the first time in Fredericton. Most of the artists traveled from Moncton to Fredericton, complicating logistics and highlighting the need for local recruitment to grow the show in other markets. However, maintaining consistent show quality across different locations proved challenging in Matt’s mind but he knew something had to change in order to grow.
In 2018, feeling that FUSION needed to re-focused to grow, Matt decided to focus on a single show, JAHA, at Casino NB, and plan for a big year in 2019 with four shows, including two in a new city (Edmundston). This strategy proved to be successful as it set the stage for the biggest year to date.
A Pivotal Year
In 2019, JAHA proved to be a big success with 2,500 guests among 4 shows, receiving the most accolades and positive feedback to date. The key was a simple story, high energy, and smooth transitions between acts.
Efforts were focused on developing partnerships and testing the "FUSION-IN-A-BOX" concept with two new shows in Edmundston. The concept involved recruiting 100% local artists, making each show unique and tailored to its community. The community embraced the idea, resulting in 700 guests at the first show based on this concept. This new direction for FUSION, using local talent from the community instead of being a touring show, was a big success and became the unique selling proposition of the organisation.
The Pandemic
The years 2020 and 2021 were challenging for FUSION. By the time events could resume in 2022, it was too late to schedule shows, and venues were limited. This meant waiting until 2024 to return to the stage. However, this downtime allowed for evaluation of all operations, developing and producing a 10-year anniversary web series, and planning the new show AKIKO.
The Bounce Back Season
2023 was a massive year for FUSION, with five shows for AKIKO, including two in a new market (Halifax) and a return in Caraquet after 7 years. Achieving a 96% capacity rate, they saw growth in all markets and the show expanded their fan base with many new faces in the audience.
The big challenge post-pandemic is the significant cost increase in the industry, making it extremely difficult to growth and to generate good profits. These cost increases can't be passed on to ticket holders. This is a challenge that will affect the growth of the organisation for years but they are doing everything possible to make things work.
Key partners in Premiere Mortgage and IG Wealth Management have really helped propelled the growth of the the shows in new markets. It's essential to have those partners believe in the dream and give the opportunity to young emerging artists to perform on the big stage.
The Present
Currently, FUSION is touring with the new production, ZORKA. They are excited to showcase the new production in multiple cities with a total of eight shows for the year. They started in Dieppe with their very first arena show and it was an amazing success with 1,600 guests. They will be in Halifax, Fredericton, Caraquet and Saint John this fall.
Exciting things are coming for our events and the FUSION team. We sincerely thank our partners, our fans and our artists for letting us do what we love to do !
