Top 5 Montreal Vernissages This Week 🎨✨

Montréal is buzzing this week, and so is its art scene! From golden anniversaries and immersive installations to open studios and cozy, introspective shows, this week’s Top 5 Montreal Vernissages are packed with reasons to step out and soak up the city’s creativity. Grab your friends, mark your calendars, and let’s dive into where you should be!

1. UQAM Design School – 50th Anniversary Closing Party 🎉

📍 UQAM Design Centre, 1440 Sanguinet Street
🗓 Wednesday, September 3, 2025 – 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM

The legendary UQAM School of Design is wrapping up its 50th anniversary celebrations with a bang! Think courtyard vibes, a DJ spinning the perfect after-work playlist, and a bar to keep the creative conversations flowing.

At 5:00 PM, catch an inspiring talk hosted by Marie-Josée Lacroix with alumni Gilles Prud’homme, Mélissa Mongiat, and Zébulon Perron, all design rockstars sharing how collaboration fuels their work. At 6:00 PM, don’t miss the official launch of État des lieux: 50 ans à l’École de design. 🥂

2. Fall Openings at Concordia – FOFA & Leonard & Bina Ellen Galleries 🖼️

📍 FOFA Gallery, 1515 Sainte-Catherine St. West
🗓 Wednesday, September 3, 2025 – 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM

LA RENTRÉE CONCORDIA is back and bigger than ever. Two of the city’s creative heavyweights, FOFA Gallery and Leonard & Bina Ellen Gallery, are teaming up to deliver a night of bold and thought-provoking art.

Highlights you have to check out:

• Kama La Mackerel’s stunning installation of textiles, sound, and video that explores identity and survival.

• Aaron McIntosh’s “Maison chaude”, where biology meets queer storytelling in a fully immersive environment.

• Adam Mbows’ short film, a poetic mix of personal archive and collective history.

• And a quick hop over to see Raven Chacon’s “Where the Waters Meet” at Leonard & Bina Ellen Gallery — part of the prestigious MOMENTA Biennale.

This one’s got “don’t miss” written all over it. 🌟

3. Galerie de l’Université de Montréal – Fall Vernissages 💡

📍 Pavillon d’Aménagement, 2940 Côte-Sainte-Catherine Rd
🗓 Wednesday, September 3, 2025 – 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Ready to tackle some big ideas? The collective show “Panic Room / Pièces de survie” is all about eco-anxiety and it’s curated by none other than Bénédicte Ramade. Expect powerful works from artists like Patrick Bérubé, Kim Dorland, and Ningiukulu Teevee.

And then there’s Manuel Mathieu, serving up a preview of his monumental mosaics soon to be unveiled at the Édouard-Montpetit REM station, 70 meters underground. This is your chance to see the thought process behind what will become one of Montreal’s most iconic public artworks. 🎨

4. Cultural Kickoff – Pôle de Gaspé 🎶

📍 5445, 5455 & 5425 Avenue de Gaspé
🗓 Friday, September 5, 2025 – 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM (and probably later!)

This is the party for anyone who loves to mingle, explore, and discover the heartbeat of Montreal’s art community. The Pôle de Gaspé cultural kickoff is back, and it’s sprawling across multiple buildings.

Expect:

• Open studios on multiple floors 🖌️

• Tables of specialty art publications 📚

• Snacks from Bay Cà Phê and Che Churros 🍩

• Bars, music, and a vibe that often goes way past “closing time” 🎶

It’s an annual ritual that feels like a mix of art crawl and block party — don’t miss it.

5. Nedjma Ziarati – “Inscapes” 🪞

📍 Gesù, 1200 Bleury Street
🗓 Saturday, September 6, 2025 – 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM

After a whirlwind week, end on a quiet, reflective note. Montreal-based artist Nedjma Ziarati is unveiling her Inscapes series, blending the delicate beauty of Persian miniatures with a bold, personal, contemporary edge.

Her “interior landscapes” explore emotion, identity, and memory in a way that feels both intimate and universal. Curated by Khosro Berahmandi, this vernissage is the perfect moment to slow down and soak in some deeply moving art. 🌿

More Art, More Stories

Hungry for even more culture? Tune in to In Situ Radio every Saturday from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM on Radio Centre-ville 102.3 FM for deep dives into the city’s art scene. Or head to their blog and Facebook page for listings, interviews, and behind-the-scenes stories that keep you plugged into Montreal’s creative pulse.

Stay tuned for next week’s picks ✨ and follow our arts coverage for the next can’t-miss events with Best Kept MTL!