First cohort of the Studio Baie-Saint-Paul program arrives in Charlevoix

Baie-Saint-Paul, May 12, 2026 — This week, the Musée d’art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul (MACBSP) is welcoming this week the first students of the Studio Baie-Saint-Paul program, an initiative developed in collaboration with the Faculty of Fine Arts, Réussir en français, and the Département d’études françaises at Concordia University.

This five-week immersive program invites a cohort of 19 students to live, create, and learn in French within a fully francophone environment in the heart of the Charlevoix region. For Concordia's Faculty of Fine Arts, launching this type of academic residency program in Quebec is a first.

Quotes

“Welcoming these emerging artists to Baie-Saint-Paul is much more than simply launching a program: it is the realization of a shared vision to make art and language inseparable within a living experience rooted in the territory. By immersing them in our community and giving them access to our resources and cultural ecosystem, we are offering them a unique context in which to create, exchange, and engage with the French language in a new way.”
— Gabrielle Bouchard, Executive Director, Musée d’art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul

“This program represents an important milestone for the Faculty of Fine Arts as we continue our efforts to integrate French in meaningful and practical ways into academic and artistic pathways. It reflects our commitment to bringing students closer to francophone cultural realities and equipping them with lasting tools to thrive in a bilingual context.”
— Annie Gérin, Dean, Faculty of Fine Arts, Concordia University

A diverse artistic cohort gathered in Baie-Saint-Paul

Students from a range of artistic disciplines were selected to participate in this first cohort, reflecting the diversity of practices and approaches within Concordia University’s Faculty of Fine Arts.

The cohort brings together a diverse group of students and emerging artists working across approximately ten disciplines, including painting, sculpture, dance, film, photography, textile arts, and interdisciplinary practices. Their work reflects a wide range of approaches and perspectives, showcasing the breadth of contemporary artistic disciplines.

An immersion at the intersection of language, creation, and place

Designed for anglophone and allophone Fine Arts students, the program aims to strengthen language skills while supporting the development of a professional artistic practice. By settling in Baie-Saint-Paul, participants will gain privileged access to the cultural and natural richness of Charlevoix, meet local artists, and take part in a creative dynamic rooted in the community.

The program will conclude with a public presentation of the work created by the students, in French, at the Musée d’art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul on Friday, June 12. Open to all, the event will begin with public presentations at the school from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., followed by open studios from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., and a closing barbecue starting at 6:30 p.m.

About the Musée d’art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul

The Musée d’art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul is the only museum institution in Eastern Quebec dedicated entirely to contemporary art. Its mission includes the acquisition, preservation, and dissemination of contemporary art, while maintaining a strong commitment to the tradition of renewal and avant-garde practices that, since 1947, has championed contemporary creators engaged with emerging artistic expressions. To fulfill this mission in concrete ways, the MACBSP is committed to advancing the visibility and democratization of contemporary art for all audiences.

Media Contacts: 

Myriam Lefebvre
Press Relations Officer
Musée d’art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul
medias@macbsp.com
Cell: 514-814-6979

Nadia Kherif
Advisor, Public Affairs
Media Relations and Public Affairs, Concordia University
nadia.kherif@concordia.ca
Cell: 514-262-0909