Cultural activities in Old Montréal for the 2023 summer season

Culture never takes a day off, even in summer! Here's our selection of cultural outings in the city's historic district. Our suggestions will entertain, inform and surprise you, whether you're a lover of the arts, a history buff, a new technology enthusiast or a fan of music and dance.

A little lightness

The carefree, vitamin-packed colors of summer are in the spotlight in this new exhibition presented by Wishbone gallery. Sundaze, featuring the work of 10 artists, is an illustration of those sweet moments in the summer when time stretches out and nature is celebrated. Highlights include Amielle Clouâtre's lush flora, Charlotte Caron's textured pastel hues and Tuan Vu's bewitching creatures.

At Galerie LeRoyer, it's the work of Quebecer Rock Therrien that puts a smile on our faces. It's impossible not to fall in love with these characters from our childhood, from Snoopy to Popeye, Homer Simpson and Mickey Mouse, recreated using paint, collage and neon.

Why not admire the splendors of the old capital... without leaving the metropolis? In a way, that's what the Château Ramezay is proposing with Paysages de Québec. On view until January 2024 is a selection of 25 paintings by as many artists, from 1830 to 1987.

A touch of sensuality

Until the end of October, we'll be exploring the relationship between sexuality and technology, and stimulating all our senses, with a visit to Sex, Desire and Data, at the Centre PHI. An interactive, collective experience, the themes covered include online dating, pornography, consent, sex work, sexual diversity and intimacy.

A page of history

Three thousand years of Egyptian history unfold within the walls of the Pointe-à-Callière museum, in a North American exclusive. Three hundred objects (tools, jewelry, sarcophagi, mummies...) tell us about the daily, social and religious life of the inhabitants of this region through which the Nile flows, from its origins to the Roman conquest. A fascinating journey to discover a civilization as mysterious as it was influential, to whom we owe the birth of architecture and a large part of our intellectual heritage.

While we're at Pointe-à-Callière, we'll be taking part in the free activities featured in this latest edition of Summer on the Pointe. Picnic tables and Adirondack chairs have been set up in the pedestrian zone. Thursdays at noon, folk, pop, electro, rap and more are on offer. On Sundays, the family is in the spotlight, with music, storytelling, dance and numerous workshops, all linked to the exhibition on Egypt. And in August, we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the 18th-century Public Market.

Don't miss the Centre PHI, where The Fury, by committed New York artist Shirin Neshat, is installed for the summer period. It follows the traumatic experience of an Iranian political prisoner, in video and virtual reality. A work of fiction, but rooted in current events.

A few steps away, at the Fondation PHI, awaits us a major exhibition devoted to Moridja Kitenge Banza, originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo and now a Montrealer by adoption. On four floors, the creations of this exceptional artist on the history of colonization, racism, capitalism, divinatory arts and the valorization of cultural diversity. A rich reflection, sometimes laced with biting humor, that also participates in the healing process of the artist and the entire community.

Come and discover the exhibition Classic Rock by Sioux artist Riel Benn, presented at Espace culturel Ashukan until the end of July. This series of 18 paintings is inspired by the "classic" rock bands of the 1980s, as well as the art found on album covers and Aboriginal culture. Riel Benn touches on many subjects, including Aboriginal history, experiences, ideas and issues.

The Sir-George-Étienne-Cartier National Historic Site is well known for its program Un Noël victorien, in the run-up to the holiday season. Now the institution presents its latest innovation: a free self-guided tour that takes in a dozen or so locations throughout the streets of Old Montreal, to learn more about the life of the politician, elected Member of Parliament in 1848, and his family, in what was then the city's downtown district.

Visit the Marguerite-Bourgeoys Historic Site to see Noah's Ark by Claude Lafortune, an exhibition that takes a poetic, playful and engaging approach to the flood myth. You can also take a tour of the Bonsecours archeological site, linking various elements of the new chapel with the old one. An informative, exciting and fun tour awaits you!

N.B.: Would your business fit on this list, but is not yet mentioned? Don’t hesitate to write to us at info@sdcvieuxmontreal.com, and we would be happy to add it here.

Photos : Sara Megan, Rock Therrien (Galerie Leroyer), galerie Wishbone