Call for Curators: Group Exhibition for Plural Contemporary Art Fair 2027, Montreal

Exhibition View, ANTICIPATION, Plural 2026. Photo: Atlas Documentation.

Call for Curators: Group Exhibition for Plural Contemporary Art Fair at the Grand Quay Pavilion, Montreal

Submission Deadline: October 2, 2026, 11:59pm ET

The Contemporary Art Galleries Association (AGAC) is calling on professional curators to submit a group exhibition project to be presented in Montreal, at the next edition of Plural Art Fair, from April 8 to 11, 2027. This original exhibition, presented at the entrance of the Grand Quay Pavilion, will welcome the public to the fair in a large windowed space bathed in natural light.

Plural Art Fair is presented annually at the Grand Quay in Montreal’s Old Port. The event celebrates the best of contemporary art in Canada and fosters the discovery of new voices and forms of expression in leading contemporary art. Formerly known as Papier (2007-2022), the Plural Fair is organized by the Contemporary Art Galleries Association. The 2026 edition brought together 45 contemporary art galleries and project spaces from 9 Canadian cities, and welcomed over 11,500 visitors over 4 days. Plural is a highly unifying event that helps cultivate a sense of community within the Canadian arts milieu.

Project Requirements

The exhibition projects submitted must address relevant themes showcasing contemporary practices through a clear concept, and demonstrate a strong reflection on current artistic, cultural or social issues, while remaining accessible and inviting to a diverse audience.

Proposals must also take into account certain technical constraints:

• The designated exhibition area is approximately 2500 square feet. It is located at the entrance to the Pavilion, on the second level of the Grand Quay.
• It is not permitted to hang anything (works, labels, signage, etc.) on the walls of the Grand Quay. For technical reasons, we must limit the number of temporary exhibition walls and exhibition furniture. The exhibition must therefore feature a majority of free standing works or works hung from the ceiling.
• The exhibition must feature only artists represented or collaborating with galleries participating in the fair. The final list of participating galleries will be available in January 2027. In the meantime, please refer to the lists of participating galleries for 2024, 2025 and 2026.
• The number of artists must be limited to a maximum of 12.

Eligibility

• This call is open to all independent curators, emerging or established. Only applications from curators based in Canada will be accepted.
• You can submit as a duo or collective, but please note that fees are fixed and cannot be adjusted.
• Propositions by candidates who work in a commercial gallery will not be considered for evaluation.

Pavilion, Grand Quay of the Port of Montreal.

Compensation

• Curator fee: $3,500.00 CAD
• Additional CARFAC-RAAV fee for curator-led public or programming activities
• CARFAC-RAAV fees for each artist (maximum 12)
• Logistical and technical support provided by AGAC
• Professional documentation of the exhibition

Selection Process

The selection of the project and the curator is at the discretion of the AGAC team and is approved by a committee of member galleries. Applications will be evaluated according to the selection criteria listed in the call.

Exhibition View, ANTICIPATION, Plural 2026. Photo: Vivien Gaumand.

Submission Requirements

• Curriculum vitae
• Biography and curatorial approach (maximum 1500 characters)
• Images and descriptions of your curatorial projects, completed or in progress
• Description of exhibition project (maximum 2500 characters)
• List of prospective artists

How to Submit

To submit your application, please complete the online form and submit your application before October 2, 2026.

All details related to the mandate—including the online form, technical requirements, selection criteria, curator fees, and production timeline—are available on our registration platform.

If this is your first time using the platform, you’ll need to create an account before submitting.

If you have trouble filling out the form, please contact us by email at info@agac.ca or by phone at 514 798-5010. The AGAC team will be happy to guide you through the process of filling it out.

Submission Deadline: October 2, 2026, 11:59pm ET

For additional information or questions, please contact:
Marie-Jeanne Gagnon, Project Manager
info@agac.ca | 514-798-5010

Contemporary Art Galleries Association (AGAC)
372, Sainte-Catherine W. St., Suite 329
Montreal (Québec)
www.agac.ca
info@agac.ca
514-798-5010

Facebook @foireplural
Instagram @foireplural

Accessibility:
The Grand Quay of the Port of Montreal is fully accessible. For more information, visit here.

Image Descriptions:
1. Spacious contemporary art exhibition with colorful paintings, sculptures, white walls, exposed beams, and polished floors; quiet, airy atmosphere.
2. Bright, spacious industrial pavilion with white steel beams, polished concrete floors, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a calm waterfront city view.
3. Visitors move through a bright exhibition space beside a tall red-and-silver pipe sculpture hung from the ceiling.