6 Montreal-based Artists to Follow in 2026

Montréal has always been a city that creates almost instinctively. But in 2026, there’s a particular energy in the air, studios feel restless, ideas circulate faster, and galleries are opening themselves to voices that quietly but decisively reshape how contemporary Canadian art is experienced.

This year, we turn our attention to six Montréal-based artists to watch in 2026. Artists whose practices are rooted in material sensitivity, cultural awareness, and a subtle sense of risk. Their work doesn’t seek spectacle; it unfolds with intention, revealing depth through gesture, process, and presence.

Together, they embody Montréal’s artistic tempo, intimate yet ambitious, reflective yet forward-moving. A scene where poetry meets experimentation, and where innovation happens not in excess, but in nuance.

6 Montreal-based Artists to Follow in 2026