Espace Notre-Dame

Not everyone has the guts to open their own business within one year of graduating from university. It usually takes either a life-changing event or a burning conviction about wanting to create change. Best friends Magali Rack and Ariane Careau decided that they would brave the adventure together. The two UQAM (Université de Québec à Montréal) graduates opened a contemporary art gallery, Rack Galerie, and event space, L’Espace Notre-Dame, in Montreal’s Saint-Henri neighbourhood, because they have a unique vision about what a contemporary art gallery should be.

Ever since the beginning, Rack Galerie’s / L’Espace Notre-Dame’s mission has been to develop an art-based ecosystem of sharing expertise and exchange of services. “In every aspect of our activities, we want to reinforce the idea of mutual support and interaction with local communities,” Magali says. “As well, there is often a lot of tension between the artist and the gallery,” says Ariane. “We are operating a gallery-artist model that is defined by collaboration.”

“So for example, if we are organizing a show, that means it’s not just the gallery who will promote an artist’s show, it’s the artist too,” says Magali.