Studios with staying power
Tashi Farmilo
Les Ateliers du Ruisseau, a long-standing cooperative of local artists, is moving into a permanent space at 75 promenade du Portage this year. The new site, a heritage building in downtown Gatineau, will house 24 studios and provide artists with greater stability and visibility. The move is supported by $2.3 million from the City of Gatineau and $340,676 from the Quebec government through the city’s cultural development agreement.
After years in a temporary facility on rue Eddy, the cooperative now has a place that reflects its role in Gatineau’s cultural fabric. For councillor Isabelle N. Miron, who chairs the Arts, Culture, Letters and Heritage Commission, this is more than a relocation. It is a sign of what lasting infrastructure can mean for local creators.
“It is a major step forward for the artists,” said Miron. “They have been in a temporary space for a long time, and now they will have a stable, permanent home that belongs to them.”
The studios will be managed under a cooperative model, giving artists control over their workspaces and the freedom to shape the space around their needs.
“We often forget how hard it is for artists to find affordable space that is actually suited to their work,” Miron said. “This gives them the chance to settle, to plan, and to grow.”
She said the scale of the project may seem modest at first glance, but its impact lies in what it allows the artists to build over time.
“When people hear 24 studios, they might not realize what that means. But for the artists, it means not having to move every few years. It means putting down roots. That is what allows a cultural scene to take shape and last.”
Miron added that past open house events hosted by the cooperative attracted strong interest from residents who were eager to visit the studios and connect with artists directly. She believes the downtown location will only increase those opportunities.
“Having studios in the city center makes art part of daily life,” she said. “It becomes something people walk past, stop in on, and talk about.”
She also spoke about the city’s cultural development more broadly, and the importance of creating spaces that reflect Gatineau’s own identity.
“For too long, people here did not see the need to create our own cultural spaces because we had the NAC right across the river. But that is changing. Now we are building spaces that come from here, for us and by us.”
Miron said the city is committed to continuing its support, but she credited the artists themselves for leading the initiative and pushing it forward.
“This is their project, their energy, and their future. The city is here to support them, but it is their space to shape.”
She hopes the new studios send a clear message to artists in Gatineau.
“It tells them their work matters, that it belongs here, and that it has a future in this city.”
Les Ateliers du Ruisseau, a cooperative of local artists, is moving into a new permanent home at 75 promenade du Portage in downtown Gatineau, creating 24 studios with support from the City of Gatineau and the Quebec government to give artists lasting space and visibility. Photo: Tashi Farmilo