Opening in May 2025, the Centre Sanaaq is a mixed-use site featuring a library, performance hall, exhibition hall and community spaces. 

The Centre Sanaaq’s offering is guided by four themes: Digital, music, participatory governance, and the promotion of indigenous cultures.

Programming

Innovative, inclusive, and diverse programming is developed in partnership with the community for audiences of all ages. Programming takes place not only in the centre’s spaces, but also in the public space of Square Cabot and Place Henri-Dunant. The program includes open-air cinema, walking activities, concerts, shows and more.  

Participatory governance

The centre, managed jointly by the city and the community, highlights participatory governance: Decisions relating to programming and services are made “by” the community “for” the community, to best meet residents’ hopes and needs. 

Since winter 2023, a steering committee made up of community and cultural organizations, artists and residents has been defining the participatory governance model for the Centre Sanaaq. 

Three thematic committees have been created:    

• The living environment committee 
• The site occupancy committee and
• The programming committee that drew up this call for projects. 

A total of $50,000 is available to fund community-initiated projects. 

This call for projects is based on the principles defined in the programming charter drawn up by the thematic committee. This charter applies to cultural, sports and leisure and community programming. The central principles are:

• Cultural diversity (including the promotion of indigenous cultures)
• Inclusiveness and accessibility
• Intergenerationality
• Showcasing local, emerging and international artists
• Learning about musical culture and making it more accessible
• Helping people better understand and own digital culture
• Grounding in the Peter-McGill district community 

Two groups may submit proposals:  

• Artists and artist collectives in Montréal 
• Non-profit organization (NPO) in Montréal  

Residents who wish to submit a project can do so through an NPO, an artist or an artists’ collective.  

The aim of this call for projects is to promote eco-responsible initiatives, in line with the GBA (gender-based analysis) approach, as well as twinning between residents and community organizations or artists.

Projects can be financed up to 100 per cent.   

The maximum contribution for each project is $7,000.

The proposed project must:  

• Be open and accessible to the public, free of charge 
• Reflect the Centre Sanaaq’s programming charter 
• Be a cultural, sports, leisure or community project 

 Artists and artist collectives   

• Must be based in Montréal
• Must be a professional artist* 

* Ville-Marie recognizes the status of professional artist as defined in the Act respecting the professional status of artists of the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications du Québec.  

Artists and artist collectives   

• Must live in Montréal
• Have specialized training in their field (not necessarily in an educational institution), be in the early stages of their career and have created a few works independently.  

Non-profit organizations (NPOs)

• Be recognized by the Registraire des entreprises du Québec 
• Be legally constituted for at least 6 months on the date the project is submitted 
• Provide letters patent
• Have their headquarters in Montréal 

Residents accompanied by an artist, artists’ collective or NPO 

• Live in Montréal  

NOTE: Each category of applicant is entitled to submit only one application in response to this call.

Light sports activities, cultural dissemination and mediation, visual arts, performing arts, multidisciplinary arts, community projects, urban agriculture, cultural leisure and amateur artistic practice. 

Concrete examples of projects: Inclusive and adapted dance classes, culinary discovery workshops, gentle gymnastics classes, live arts performances, visual and digital arts exhibitions, computer/digital literacy courses, community services, etc.

Projects must comply with the principles of the Centre Sanaaq’s programming charter:  

• Cultural diversity (including the promotion of aboriginal cultures); 
• Inclusiveness and accessibility; 
• Intergenerationality 
• Showcasing local, emerging, and international artists.  

The projects proposed must be open to all, accessible, free of charge and, if possible, must not be aimed at a small number of people (except in the case of limited space capacity, such as the culinary lab).  

Ineligible projects

• Individual, private activities that are not open to the public 
• Commercial, for-profit activities 
• Religious and political activities 
• Paid activities and those involving fundraising 
• Research projects (including research and creation projects)
• Fairs, markets, exhibitions, galas, competitions, conferences, and conventions.*

 * Note that research, trade fair and exhibition projects that are accessible to all and provide a service to the public may be eligible.

Projects must be presented in or near the Centre Sanaaq.

In the Centre Sanaaq 

Multi-purpose rooms
Room 1 - Capacity: 45 seats 
Room 2 - Capacity: 60 seats 
Room 3 - Capacity: 50 seats 

All multi-purpose rooms are equipped with: 

• Audiovisual equipment (screen, audio system and videoconferencing) 
• Tables 
• Chairs 
• Access to water

Meeting room 
Room 4 - Capacity: 18 places 

The meeting room is equipped with: 

• Audiovisual equipment (screen, audio system and videoconferencing) 
• 1 table
• Chairs

Performance hall 
Capacity: 250 seats 

Culinary lab 
Capacity: 14 places 

*MAPAQ certification is required to book the culinary lab. 

Exhibition hall 
*The layout of the exhibition hall is temporary, and subject to change 

Outside the Centre Sanaaq 

Place Henri-Dunant and Parc Hector-Toe-Blake are the two outdoor sites that can host projects (Square Cabot is not included, as it is already has a program and is used by the community).  

• Place Henri-Dunant
• Parc Hector-Toe-Blake

*The urban agriculture bins in Parc Hector-Toe-Blake belong to Innovation jeunes.  

NOTE: Venues and dates for projects will be determined in consultation with the Sanaaq team.

All projects will be evaluated according to the following criteria: 

• Quality: 35 per cent 
  • Originality of the project compared with all other proposals; 
  • Project reflects the principles of the Centre Sanaaq’s programming charter. 
• Impact: 40 per cent 
  • Relevance of the project to the artist’s approach, the artist’s collective or the organization’s mandate, and their experience or capacity to carry out the project (contribution to the development and influence of the artist/organization, history, or previous achievements); 
  • Project target audience: Is the project aimed at the Centre Sanaaq’s target audience? Is the project adapted to the target audience? How involved will the participants be? 
  • What impact will the project have on the community? 
• Feasibility: 25 per cent
  • How realistic is the budget forecasting, and presentation of a balanced budget 
  • Is the project adapted to the constraints set out in the technical data sheets?
  • How feasible are the activities? (resources required, time, means) 
  • Is the project technically feasible (technical and logistical support needed, regulatory approvals required)? 
• Additional points: 2 per cent 
  • Eco-responsible practices or awareness of the ecological transition and the protection of living organisms (e.g. recycling, composting, use of public or active transport, use of ecological, local, or organic products); 
  • Do most of the activities of the organization, artist, or collective take place in the Peter-McGill district community?

All projects will be evaluated by a stakeholder committee made up of the following members: 

• A resident 
• An artist 
• An NPO representative from the Peter-McGill neighbourhood 
• A member of the Centre Sanaaq team 
• A representative of the governance committee

Eligible expenses 

• Expenses for project promotion: Social media, graphic design, productions, posters (maximum 10 per cent of the total budget)
• Equipment rental costs (maximum 30 per cent of the total budget)
• Project administration (maximum 10 per cent of the total budget)
• Copyrights, reproduction rights, labour, fees, professional fees
• Expenses for the purchase of equipment or supplies needed to carry out the project 

Ineligible expenses

• Capital expenditure 
• Expenses directly related to the regular programming of the organizations 
• The organization’s operating expenses

Selected projects will be carried out starting in July 2025 and in fall 2025.

• Call for projects launched: April 14, 2025. 
• Project submission deadline: May 29, 2025 at 5 p.m.
• Administrative processing of submissions and jury selection: between May 30 and June 20.
  • The committee may need to contact you for further information during this period.
• Announcement of successful and unsuccessful projects: by June 23, 2025.

A report on the activity must be completed within one month after the project is finished, by filling out a form.  

The form will include questions about how the project unfolded:   

• Report on actions and activities carried out (number, date(s), duration, description, project implementation, highlights, attendance statistics, etc.)
• Changes, if any, made to the project compared with the original proposal 
• The number of professional artists and partners involved in the project, and their respective roles 
• The project’s impact on Ville-Marie residents
• Three high-resolution royalty-free photos of the project in electronic format
• Any other relevant information

Applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. on May 29, 2025. 

Online forms: 

• Submission Form - Artist and artists’ collective or Submission Form - NPO
• Self-identification Form

The following items must be sent by WeTransfer to the e-mail address [email protected]:

• Your project budget
• A plan, photo, and/or technical sheet of the project, if necessary. Your technical sheet can include technical requirements in terms of equipment and personnel, as well as the specific features of the show (presence of water, special effects, etc.);
• For NPOs only: Letters patent in a single file. 

* Accepted file types: image, video, audio, Word, PDF, Excel 

Applications that are not complete by 5 p.m. on May 29 will be rejected.

Do you need help writing your application?

A coaching session is available upon request. To take advantage of this offer, please complete this application form before May 16, 2025.  

If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Dès l’automne 2025, 13 projets inspirants sélectionnés par le jury à partir de l’appel à projets «Programmation communauté» prendront vie à l’intérieur du centre Sanaaq et sur la place Henri-Dunant.

Les projets choisis se sont distingués par leur caractère inclusif et intergénérationnel, leur ancrage dans le quartier Peter-McGill, leur complémentarité avec l’offre du centre et leur approche innovante. Ils visent à mettre en lumière la diversité culturelle, notamment les cultures autochtones, favoriser les échanges intergénérationnels, valoriser les artistes locaux, émergents ou de renommée internationale, et encourager l’apprentissage.

Organismes communautaires

Connexion entre soi, son environnement et sa communauté

Ateliers de découverte culinaire combinés à des activités de santé physique et mentale
La porte jaune

Danses inclusives et intergénérationnelles

Activités de danse en ligne
Innovation jeunes

Théâtre-forum

Cocréation d’un théâtre-forum avec la clientèle d’Alima
Alima, Centre de nutrition sociale périnatale

Organismes culturels

Catalogne, région mondiale de la gastronomie 2025

Conférence, atelier culinaire et castells (constructions humaines)
Cercle culturel catalan

Schubert, toi et moi

Concert de musique classique
Les Rugissants

Le grand vol de la petite Dent-de-Lion 

Lecture théâtrale
Éditions Dent-de-lion

MUPI 

Atelier de musique sur la périnatalité et l’inclusivité
Collectif Tigouli / Emmanuelle Lizère

Les Saveurs de l’intégration

Cocréation d’une pièce de théâtre
Centre des femmes afghanes de Montréal

Artistes et collectifs d’artistes 

Aroral

Ateliers de slam
Yanis Benyouci

Paix, Amour et Espoir

Atelier de batik et cours d’indonésien
Avy Loftus

Surkalén (Ethno-Fusion)

Concert
Surkalèn

Les Grands Espaces

Atelier de chant gorge inuit
Collectif Oktoecho

Le corps en performance et en mouvement 

Cours de Pilates
Khoury Olivia