The MAC and the CALQ join forces to support Québec artists
MONTREAL, Nov. 24, 2025 /CNW/ - The Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal (MAC) and the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ) are pleased to announce that they are joining forces to support artists from across Québec. This unprecedented collaboration will offer Québec artists new opportunities for career development and the creation and dissemination of their work.
This historic agreement launches a substantive partnership that will, more than ever, place the production and dissemination of works by Québec artists at the heart of the MAC. Thanks to the CALQ's financial support, allocated entirely to participating artists, the initiative ensures concrete support for the vitality of artistic creation in Québec.
This partnership, which directly responds to the CALQ's 2025–2028 Action Plan on the dissemination of contemporary art, aims to strengthen the presence of artists within museum institutions, ensure diverse representation in exhibition spaces, and to improve the circulation of artworks within recognized institutional contexts.
The MAC and the CALQ share a strong commitment to promoting Québec's visual arts while addressing the critical need for equitable access and sustainable funding. This collaboration will provide increased support to artists across Québec, including those living outside major urban centres, who often face greater barriers in accessing major museum institutions. This unprecedented partnership will unfold in three successive phases:
- The New Habiter le MAC Program – The CALQ will provide financial support to selected emerging artists living outside Greater Montreal to participate in Habiter le MAC. Launching in May 2026, this unique career-development program will welcome two cohorts of six emerging artists, who will each benefit from eight months of residency workshops, mentorship, greater exposure, and facilitated exchanges with the public at the MAC's space in Place Ville Marie. Thanks to CALQ's support, four of the 12 participating artists will have their housing and living expenses in Montreal covered, in addition to the creation grants and honoraria provided to all cohort members.
- A MAC Inaugural Exhibition – Guided by a thoughtful and inclusive artistic vision, the Museum will, upon its reopening at Place des Arts, highlight the excellence of contemporary visual arts from across Québec. In this spirit, 10 artists living in at least three different regions of Québec will receive a research and creation grant from the CALQ to support the production of ambitious works for the inaugural exhibition.
- Exhibition Space at the Museum – In the transformed MAC, the CALQ will support Québec artists who will present their work in two annual exhibitions over three years in the new spaces of the Museum. This initiative will offer artists greater exposure to the public and to professionals in the field, along with a creative environment conducive to experimentation and strengthened by institutional support that values their artistic practice.
Quotes
"For over 60 years, the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal (MAC) has ensured that Québec's creative voices resonate both here and abroad. While the transformation work at Place des Arts has temporarily reduced the scope of our activities, our renewed educational and museum approaches, supported by this exceptional collaboration with the CALQ, will allow us to forge strong connections with artists from across Québec and to play a meaningful role in the development of their careers."
- Stéphan La Roche, Director, Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal
"As a public funding body, the CALQ has a responsibility to support artistic creation. But its role doesn't stop there. It must also ensure that these works find their place in public spaces and benefit from broader dissemination. This historic partnership with the MAC demonstrates a strong commitment to contemporary artists and aims to offer emerging artists across the province the tangible support they need to develop their practice, gain recognition for their work, and connect with audiences."
- Véronique Fontaine, President and Executive Director, Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec
Acknowledgements
The Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal (MAC) is a state enterprise funded by the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications du Québec. It also receives financial support from the Government of Canada and the Canada Council for the Arts. The Museum would also like to thank its Foundation and the many partners and donors who contribute to its success.
About the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal (MAC)
For more than 60 years, the MAC has brought together Québec and international artists, their works, and diverse audiences, celebrating art as an essential component of life in Montreal and Québec. With the Museum's headquarters in the heart of the Quartier des Spectacles undergoing a major architectural transformation, the MAC has temporarily relocated its activities to Place Ville Marie, another iconic landmark in the city. The MAC at Place Ville Marie offers a variety of activities for the general public, as well as for school and community groups. To learn more: www.macm.org/en
About the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec
The Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ) invests in the imagination and celebrates the successes of those who create memorable works, shape Québec's cultural identity, and make it shine.
With a view to equitable, sustainable artistic development, the CALQ supports creation, experimentation, and production in the arts and literature in all regions of Québec and promotes dissemination in Québec, Canada, and abroad. To learn more: www.calq.gouv.qc.ca
SOURCE Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal
For all media inquiries: Concerning the MAC, Livia Belcea, Public Relations Officer at the MAC, [email protected] or 514-847-6210; Concerning the CALQ, Sabrina Herren, Communications Advisor at the CALQ, [email protected] or 1-800-608-3350
Share this article