Montreal is a city of contemporary art, design, and above all, Montreal is a city of artists. It makes perfect sense; the winter light is perfectly white, the old textile factories in the Mile Ex have walls entirely made of frosted glass windows and make perfect studios for painters and sculptors. But, right in the heart of Montreal, independent artists are rarely exhibited and hardly known to Montreal collectors.
Independent artists are those who have professional careers but manage their careers without official representation by a gallery. There are more and more independent artists, but it’s not entirely clear where to place them. They were not at Art Plural, the contemporary art fair that brought together the galleries of the AGAC (Association of Contemporary Art Galleries).
In May, a new fair places artists at the center of its business model and becomes the first fair dedicated to independent contemporary artists. This is its second year. At its helm are Sophie Poirier, an acquisition consultant at Galerie Cosner and a specialist in 19th- and 20th-century Canadian art, and Nick Bodoin, an independent visual artist and sculptor from Montreal.
The Foire Parallèle aims to serve as a satellite to Art Plural, an institutional event designed to showcase the work of Montreal’s independent artists.
The Foire Parallèle will take place from May 15 to 17, 2026, and is for all art lovers—and collectors—right in the heart of downtown’s very business-forward Golden Square Mile.
Parallèle Fair
During the three days of the fair, 200 works by 44 independent artists from Montreal’s contemporary art scene will be on display in the former Holt Renfrew luxury department store building.
There will also be 4 conferences featuring 16 speakers on the world of contemporary art—which is evolving rapidly, alongside collectors, fashion, and the economic market—and on Montreal and the challenges faced by independent artists within the city’s cultural scene.
Practical Information
Where? In the former Holt Renfrew department store building, at 1300 Sherbrooke Street West
When? Friday, May 15 to Sunday, May 17, 2026
How? Early bird tickets are $11, and to reserve a spot to access the fair, click here
