Plural

AGAC's 40th Anniversary: A Retrospective

Blog
May 15, 2025
Kiosque de l'AGAC pour son 40e anniversaire, Plural 2025

In 2025, the Contemporary Art Gallery Association (AGAC) celebrates its 40th anniversary, marking four decades of commitment to the defense and promotion of contemporary art.

At the core of AGAC's mission is the representation of its members - all Canadian commercial contemporary art galleries - which goes hand in hand with its mandates to advocate for the prosperity of the contemporary art market, educate the public about the current art scene, and contribute to the promotion of contemporary art both in Canada and internationally.

Originally the Association des galeries d'art contemporain de Montréal (AGACM), it was founded in 1985 by around twenty directors of Montreal galleries with the aim of seeking solutions to their common difficulties, as well as constituting a force that could express its needs and act in cohesion. Lorraine Palardy, founder of Les Impatients, gallerist, Chevalière de l'Ordre national du Québec, and former president of the AGAC Board of Directors, emphasizes the importance of solidarity in the milieu: “We tried to open up this association along other avenues, by solidifying ourselves with other partners. There were a lot of people around us who wanted AGAC to succeed. We could feel the support of artists and galleries alike.”

AGAC quickly established itself as a major player in the visual arts milieu, as well as in the Canadian art market, with major initiatives such as the first expo-fair dedicated to contemporary art in Canada, L'Entrée libre à l'art contemporain (1987-1993), the Magazine ETC (1987-1992), the Foire d'art contemporain (1994), the Prix Louis-Comtois (1991-present), the Prix Pierre-Ayot (1996-present), Peinture Peinture (1998), Intersections Montréal-Toronto (2000), Le Salon du Printemps (2002-2004) and many more. Isabelle Lelarge, who led the Association between 1988 and 1990, maintains that it is through these projects that AGAC has been able to spread its wings: “The quality of these events has enabled, each time, the emergence of a very lively, rich and creative art scene.” Indeed, Julie Lacroix, who headed the organization for over a decade, notes that this is how AGAC's mission unfolds: “We chose to extend the role of the sector's spokesperson, to not only cover its commercial interests, but also to broaden audiences in relation to what it offers, which is art, so to educate, democratize and promote.”

L'Entrée libre à l'art contemporain, Galerie des arts Lavalin, 1987
Foire d'art contemporain (FAC), Édifice Belgo, 1994
Peinture Peinture, Édifice Belgo, 1998

Subsequently, in the second half of its existence, other AGAC projects continued in the same vein. Starting from 2007, under the management of Matthieu Gauvin, who was then AGAC's general director, the Papier fair became a major event over the course of its 15 editions (now taking on the name Plural). Indeed, AGAC has continued to evolve and develop through numerous other initiatives such as the Gala des arts Visuels (2011-2014), the standard contract between artist and gallery with the Regroupement des artistes en arts visuels (2012-present), Feature: Contemporary Art Fair in Toronto (2014-2015), Collectionner - le guide (2016-2017), the Art Market Forum (2019), the Retrouvez l'art d'ici campaign (2021), and more recently, Gallery Weekend (2021-present) and the Plural Contemporary Art Fair (2023-present).

Rhéal Lanthier, owner of Montreal gallery Art Mûr, a long-standing member, and AGAC Board President between 2007 and 2013, believes that it is by building a public for these projects that the Association has been able to ensure the success and notoriety it enjoys today: “The dynamism that the Association has been able to inject into the market, by creating new collectors and an interest in collecting with several educational projects, is what makes Plural do so well today. [...] Because an audience has been developed over the years.” He points out that there is strength in numbers in this context too: “The art market is generally made up of small businesses, [...] so their weight, their promotional capacity is limited. [...] It is only by federating or working in collaboration that we can create projects that manage to get media coverage, a presence on the local scene.”

Papier, Square Westmount, 2008
Gala des arts visuels, Théatre Outremont, 2012
Feature: Contemporary Art Fair, Joey & Toby Tanenbaum Opera Centre, 2015

On the other hand, over the years, AGAC has worked hard behind the scenes, federating its members according to a rigorous code of ethics designed to ensure the integrity and quality of each gallery. In addition, the Association fulfills its mandate by lobbying to represent its members before government authorities and other related institutions, in order to defend their interests, obtain funding, advocate for better support for the professions of gallerist and artist, as well as promote the recognition and vitality of the contemporary art market. Julie Lacroix emphasizes that “it's important to have a spokesperson, an advocate for all sectors, because we need one to make our mission and our vision known.”

Forum Marché de l'art, Édifice Wilder, 2019
Galeries Weekend Toronto, Susan Hobbs Gallery, 2023
Prix Ayot-Comtois, 2024. De gauche à droite: Ericka Alneus, Yann Pocreau, Fatine-Violette Sabiri, Anie Deslauriers. Crédit photo: Virginie Ngo.

Today, with 34 galleries across Canada, including Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa, Toronto, Halifax and Vancouver, AGAC remains a non-profit organization dedicated to defending the moral and economic interests of its members, ensuring the recognition and prosperity of the contemporary art market in Canada, as well as fostering public awareness of contemporary art. Looking back, Lorraine Palardy notes that “AGAC's vision seems to be bearing fruit, and [that] it is not too far removed from its original mandate: to reach out to people, to the widest possible audience, to support galleries, to support artists”.

Table ronde 40 ans de l'AGAC: réflexions et perspectives, Plural 2025. De gauche à droite: Mark Lanctôt, Jean-François Bélisle, Julie Lacroix, Anie Deslauriers et Marie-Ève Charron. Crédit photo: JM Seminaro

To find out more about its history, watch the round table 40 ans de l’AGAC: réflexions et perspectives on our Youtube channel, or subscribe to AGAC’s social media and newsletter for more glimpses into the past!