Quebec City’s 10 Must-Visit Contemporary Art Galleries

Centre Materia is an artist-run centre for the applied arts supported by Quebec’s Maison des Métiers d’Art. Situated on the ground floor of this multi-disciplinary formative Maison, Centre Materia contributes to the dissemination of crafts while promoting artistic research and creativity. Located in the trendy Nouvo Saint-Roch neighbourhood, this gallery showcases the creations of national and international artists, both emerging and established, in rotating exhibitions and installations. Centre Materia encourages new artistic interpretations, technique and knowhow with a unique space for sharing the work of artists who push boundaries. It also hosts an on-site art shop adjacent to the gallery.

Rue du Trésor can be defined as an open-air contemporary art gallery. Situated in a narrow pedestrian alley in the heart of the old city, its origins date back to the 1960s, when several arts students featured their works along the walls of the street. Since then, many emerging artists of the city have followed suit and Rue du Trésor has become a renowned artsy spot in Quebec. More than 30 local artists show their work in this lively street, in semi-permanent exhibitions and regulated activities, as the artists have formed an independent non-profit association (Association des Artistes de la Rue du Trésor). The techniques used by these artists span etching, painting and offset, silkscreen and watercolour. This is a good place to find local art at reasonable prices and talk to the artists about their work.

Lacerte Art Contemporain is a renowned contemporary art gallery in Quebec, named after its former owner, Madelaine Lacerte. Created in the 1980s, Madame Lacerte’s son, Louis Lacerte, joined the gallery at a later stage and has steered it ever since, retaining a continuous commitment to support established artists and discover new talents, both national and international. The gallery has participated in prestigious art fairs around the world and has hosted more than 300 solo exhibitions, showcasing the works of the most prominent Quebec artists.

In 1993, Marc Beauchamp and his wife Claudette opened the first Beauchamp gallery. Nowadays, the family owns seven prestigious galleries in Quebec City, which are opened seven days a week and represent over 250 artists. Since 2004, Galerie d’Art Beauchamp Contemporain has been located in a centuries-old historic building in Quebec City’s Old Port, and offers a unique selection of contemporary realist artists, both emerging and established. This gallery has a sister art space in the neighbourhood: a second venue was opened by the same owners, encouraged by an increasing demand for artworks and the energy of a new generation of artists.