3e impérial, centre d’essai en art actuel

Established in 1984, 3e impérial, centre d'essai en art actuel aims to integrate art into social spaces. It was the first Canadian artist-run centre devoted exclusively to developing an artistic approach based on everyday life and close links with the community, reaching beyond the traditional confines of the gallery.

This approach is reflected in the centre’s broad array of activities: residencies, research, creation, production, dissemination, publishing and public forums. Based on exchange and collaboration, its residency program aims to support, document, develop and realize art projects firmly rooted in human, political and territorial concerns.

By linking together experiences and knowledge from diverse fields of activity in real and sensory contexts, 3e impérial, centre d'essai en art actuel champions an interdisciplinary “infiltration” approach to art, in which the boundaries between production and dissemination, and between private and public space, are often blurred.

The centre shares and develops its expertise within a framework of consultations, national and international conferences, and research collaborations with universities.