The art scene in Montreal
The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal set the tone, but the real scene lives in the neighbourhoods. Mile End, the Plateau and Saint-Henri are full of studios, many of them tucked into former industrial buildings. Downtown, the Belgo Building on Sainte-Catherine Street West gathers a cluster of contemporary galleries under one roof, which makes it an easy first stop.
Every June, the MURAL festival turns boulevard Saint-Laurent into an open-air painting site, and the walls it leaves behind can be toured all year long. Montreal also has a dense network of artist-run centres, where you will find more experimental work, and the Darling Foundry in Old Montreal shows ambitious contemporary projects. Between openings, exhibitions and open-studio weekends, there is almost always a chance to see work up close.
On Artblr, you can browse original work by Montreal artists by medium, price or neighbourhood. Message an artist directly with your questions about a piece and, if it speaks to you, arrange a studio visit to see it in person. There is no commission on that direct contact between you and the artist.
- Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
- MURAL festival, boulevard Saint-Laurent
- Belgo Building, Sainte-Catherine Street West
- Studios in Mile End and Saint-Henri
Josee Laplante
Isabelle Regout