Where to buy affordable contemporary art
Arts Culture, arts and heritage
You may never have considered becoming an art collector but think about it: instead of those IKEA posters on your wall, you could have original art you love that will only increase in value over time. And you won’t need to break the bank! There are loads of affordable art available in Montréal, for anywhere from a few dollars to a few hundred.
Expozine
This small-press fair occurs every spring and is a choice spot to start your collection with easily framed pieces that will set an alternative, one-of-a-kind tone to your decor.
What you’ll find here:
- Limited-edition prints
- Postcards
- Posters
- Small-press books
- Comics
Puces POP
Amid jewellery, cupcakes and apothecary products, you’ll find tons of original artworks in all forms at this arts and crafts marketplace organized by the people behind the POP Montréal festival. It takes place three times a year: in the spring, in the fall during the music fest, and throughout the winter holiday season.
What you’ll find here:
- Hand-drawn illustrations
- Small sculptures and carvings
- Prints
- Fibre arts
- Crafts
Plural
This annual art fair is second-to-none to encounter the Montréal gallery scene all under one roof, as well as many national galleries as well. And the works tend to be on the affordable side — for top-notch collectible art. (Think a couple of thousands rather than dozens of thousands.)
What you’ll find here:
- Paintings
- Drawings
- Large-scale wall art
- Photographs
- Limited-edition prints
Galerie Espace
You never know what you’ll chance upon at this gallery on the Main, and that’s what great about it! Artists rent it out themselves, which means there’s no curatorial overseer. You can find mind-blowing art here by painters, printmakers, photographers and more, and you know whatever you pay will go directly to the artist.
What you’ll find here:
Whatever happens to be there! From sculpture to illustration and everything in between.
S16 Gallery
This contemporary urban art gallery started as a silkscreen print shop that began working with local artists and developing fine-art prints. The gallery now features an international roster of artists primarily influenced by street art and graffiti, such as Montréal’s own Kevin Ledo, Stikki Peaches and Ryan Labrosse.
What you’ll find here:
- Original paintings
- Reproductions
- Posters
- Prints
- Illustrations
Art Mûr
This three-storey art hub in Rosemont represents a range of artists, from newcomers on the scene to established masters. The best time to check it out for a first purchase is at the end of spring/early summer, when the second floor is dedicated to new graduates from university art programs. Get them while they’re green, and your investment might turn gold!
What you’ll find here:
- Sculptures
- Installations
- Paintings
- Drawings
- Fibre arts
Yves Laroche
This commercial gallery in the industrial neighbourhood of Chabanel, Montréal’s garment district, sells art by internationally renowned artists alongside more affordable finds created locally. The curating tends toward urban arts, with a penchant for street techniques and comics-based work, with prices starting at a couple of thousand and up. But it’s worth it.
What you’ll find here:
- Illustrations
- Paintings
- Limited-edition prints
Galerie C.O.A.
It’s a small gallery with such great curation that every time you walk by, you’ll be tempted inside. Perched on the Main right at the southern end of Little Italy, C.O.A. is dedicated to representing outsider and early-career artists who might be overlooked by traditional galleries, making it a site for discoveries of the most unexpected kind at very accessible prices.
What you’ll find here:
- Sculptures
- Paintings
- Illustrations
- Installations
Artsy bars and clubs that show art you can purchase
If you’re new at art, a wonderful place to begin is in your favourite haunts. Montréal bars, eateries and coffee shops like Casa del Popolo, and Le Cheval Blanc often have a rotating selection of art exhibited on their walls, all for sale for cheap. It’s a way for artists to get a foot in the door of the public exhibition world. You’ll make a local artist’s day and have a piece to cherish for years to come.
What you’ll find here:
- Prints
- Original drawings
- Paintings
- Collages
- Band posters
Online art hubs featuring Montréal artists
To purchase a piece of Montréal art without even leaving your home, find individual artists on Etsy or visit illustrator hubs like Society6 or the local Sur Ton Mur, where just a few dollars will get you a high-res file you can print yourself at the size you want. Find a large selection of local artists on the network of L’Original, a platform enabling creatives to sell their works at a wide range of prices. And see how artists such as Evi Jane, Liligraffiti and Romain Blais have made homage to the city sights of Montréal itself, or check out other local art stars like Lovestruck Prints and Pony.
Isa Tousignant
Isa Tousignant is an editor and storyteller with a curiosity that runs deeper than most. She has chatted life philosophies with celebrity chefs, gemologists, arena rockers and furries. (All were transformative.) Her favourite things include discovering new flavours and celebrating the creativity that defines her hometown, Montréal.