Critical Distance DIRECTORY Optica, Centre D’art Contemporain

Founded in 1972, OPTICA is among the first artist-run centres in Canada. The centre’s mission is to promote contemporary Canadian art. Its mandate is to present and support visual arts practices, the artists, the discourses from which they draw, and, more broadly, to contribute to critical reflection and an understanding of art in our time.

The centre presents a varied program of exhibitions, accompanied by critical and educational activities that help acquire and develop a broad familiarity with contemporary art. In addition, research activities, specialized publications produced at the centre, and cultural mediation resources are made available to teachers to assist them in fostering a better understanding of contemporary issues. All these programs and activities focus on both emerging and established artists on the Canadian and Québec art scene.