6538 Waverly Street - 2018 to 2022
In the fall of 2012, artists Alexis Bellavance and Jonathan Villeneuve took over a 2,000 sq. ft. space at 6538 Waverly Street, in the Marconi-Alexandra area, commonly known as the Mile-Ex. One had previously occupied a studio in a building located at the corner of Beaubien and Durocher streets, in Outremont. The other was leaving, at the same time, a collective studio space on William Street, following the eviction of artists by the building's owner, amid intense real estate development in the Griffintown area. The two artists were driven by a dual objective: to establish a substantial studio in which to carry out their own projects, and to create an open space for collaboration, exchange, and resource sharing. This first establishment marked the starting point of an approach that would gradually extend beyond the founders' individual needs to address broader issues related to access to creative spaces.
In 2015, the organization Ateliers Belleville was officially founded. The intention was to structure a non-profit organization capable of offering more collective studio spaces and shared tools at a reasonable cost. From the beginning, the organization was built on a logic of resource pooling: sharing spaces, tools, expertise, and responsibilities in order to support independent practices in a context where real estate costs and technical needs represent growing obstacles for artists.
In the summer of 2018, Ateliers Belleville reached a new milestone by expanding its premises. The organization then occupied 6,000 sq. ft. to meet the needs of more than twenty artists and artisans, while achieving the objectives it had set at its founding. In addition to a shared woodworking workshop, Ateliers Belleville now offers access to digital fabrication tools, including a CNC router, a laser cutter, and several 3D printers, as well as a metal workshop and a 1,200 sq. ft. production and occasional presentation space equipped with audio and lighting technical facilities.
This expansion allowed the organization to offer workspaces on a continuous basis, while accommodating temporary projects, collaborations, and occasional productions. It confirmed the relevance of a model that goes beyond simple studio rental, aiming instead to create a collective environment for production, transmission, and experimentation.
545 Legendre Street - 2022 to present
On December 23, 2022, Ateliers Belleville acquired the building located at 545 Legendre Street West. This acquisition materialized a vision carried for several years: to establish a mixed, collective, and self-managed cultural hub within a building acquired by actors from the cultural sector. It marks a major turning point in the organization's history, enabling a shift from a fragile rental model to a collective ownership model aimed at ensuring the long-term sustainability of creative spaces.
Since the beginning of 2023, more than 50 new artist and independent artisan members have joined the organization, which now counts more than 85 resident members. During the transition period, Ateliers Belleville continued to welcome more than 20 resident members in its spaces on Waverly Street, while progressively activating LAB-545 in interim mode, in parallel with the development phase and renovation works. Even before the completion of the renovations, LAB-545 has already hosted several productions in visual arts, performance, and audio art, as well as student projects from UQAM and Concordia University, among others. This interim occupation allowed for testing the building's uses, maintaining an active connection with the artistic community, and preparing the gradual operationalization of the new infrastructure.
The year 2024 consolidated Ateliers Belleville's programming through multiple events, internal and external productions, collaborations, training sessions, and public activities. These achievements were made possible by the involvement of participants, co-organizers, programmers, artists, performers, community members, and partners who supported the organization during this pivotal period.
In 2025, Ateliers Belleville is continuing major renovations of the building at 545 Legendre Street West in preparation for its official opening. This milestone will allow members to be welcomed into reimagined spaces, better suited to the needs of creation, production, and presentation. In April 2025, an important chapter in the organization's history came to a close with the end of the lease on Waverly Street and the complete move to LAB-545. This transition to 545 Legendre Street West transforms Ateliers Belleville into a larger-scale collective cultural infrastructure. The project brings together, under one roof, artist studios, specialized workshops, presentation spaces, residencies, common areas, and technical services. It extends the founding vision of the co-founders and gives it a structuring and innovative reach: to durably secure affordable and shared creative spaces for artists, artisans, and cultural organizations.
