Montreal Cultural Calendar

Join us for our next Translation Book Club meeting to discuss Season of Migration to the North, written by Tayeb Salih and translated by Denys Johnson-Davies. This event is open to all, so feel free to show up if you've read the book and want to talk about it; and if you haven't picked it up yet, but would like to participate, we have copies available in store! After years of study in Europe, the young narrator returns to his village along the Nile in the Sudan in the 1960s. He discovers a stranger among the familiar faces of childhood—the enigmatic Mustafa Sa'eed. Mustafa tells him the story of his own years in London, of his brilliant career as an economist, and of the series of fraught and deadly relationships with European women that led to a terrible public reckoning. Season of Migration to the North is a rich and sensual work of deep honesty and incandescent lyricism. In 2001 it was selected by a panel of Arab writers and critics as the most important Arab novel of the twentieth century. Masks are not required, but will be provided for free at the door. Please contact us at least a day in advance for elevator access to the store.

Join us for a clothing swap hosted by the Yellow Door Mending Circle. Bring clothes and accessories that are clean and in good condition, and take home a new wardrobe for spring. Find something that doesn't quite fit? You can come back to mending circle in two weeks to tailor or modify it with the help of our wonderful mender, Helen!

Un événement mensuel où nous réparons, échangeons et repensons nos vêtements. Nourriture et breuvages par Chef Soma, activités pour enfants, venez passer l'après-midi à notre nouveau centre.

Join us for a talk with Adriana Leigh about her book, Trauma Sensitivity at Work. Trauma Sensitivity at Work is a clear, compassionate, and practical guide to building cultures of inclusion and safety by addressing an underlying cause of persistent workplace challenges: trauma. Drawing on two decades of global experience in workplace human rights, in leadership, and as a policy advisor—as well as her background as a human rights lawyer and her own healing journey—international changemaker Adriana Leigh demonstrates why trauma sensitivity is a core competency of leadership today and shows you how to cultivate it. Adriana Leigh is an award-winning international consultant and changemaker, and the founder and principal consultant at ALG Consulting. She is a former workplace human rights lawyer turned facilitator, working at the intersection of DEI, gender-based violence and harassment prevention, and psychologically safe workplace systems. She has collaborated with organizations worldwide, including the United Nations, international aid agencies, and both private and public sector entities. Recognized for her transformative work, Adriana has been featured by World Pulse as one of the "21 Women Leaders to Watch" and has received the CREA Global Award. She lives in Montreal, Canada. Masks are not required, but will be provided for free at the door. For elevator access to the store, please contact us at least a day in advance.

Registration: https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/untangle-une-journee-de-technologie-demotions-et-de-resistance

Une journée de réflexion alliant discussions et démonstrations autour d'enjeux féministes liés au soin, à la technologie éthique et à l'autonomie numérique. La rencontre s'ouvrira sur un moment d'échange collectif permettant d'explorer les liens entre les projets qui seront présentés et les enjeux portés par le festival. Présentation de Cursors of Care, un projet mené par l'artiste Tricia Enns, qui explore comment de petits gestes créatifs peuvent insuffler du soin et du sens dans nos espaces numériques quotidiens, à travers la création de curseurs et d'icônes pixelisées personnalisés. Atelier animé par Techtechtech sur leur projet To Weave a Web : the Poetics of Opting Out, réunissant les artistes et chercheuses Liane Decary-Chen, Marie LeBlanc Flanagan, Sarah Choukah et Chanel Robin. Elles inviteront à réfléchir aux moyens de se désengager des géants de la technologie et d'imaginer des outils éthiques, durables et centrés sur la communauté. Cet événement est présenté en anglais. Bar sur place lors de la soirée (comptant et carte). Horaire: 12:30 PM – Arrivée des participant·e·s en présentiel; 1:00 – 5:30 PM – Visioconférence (format hybride); 1:00 – 1:30 PM – Cercle de discussion avec les artistes participant·e·s; 1:30 – 2:30 PM – Présentation-démonstration de « Cursors of Care » par Tricia Enns; 2:30 – 5:30 PM – Atelier par Techtechtech; 5:30 – 8:00 PM – Rassemblement: Rencontre avec les artistes (en présentiel seulement); 6:00 – 6:30 PM – Micro-atelier « Construire son propre mini serveur » par Techtechtech.

Black Pudding: Collaborative Speculation Workshop is a hands-on, in-person workshop series designed to offer an accessible and collaborative entry point into the creative re-use of AI. As a point of departure, we use Black Pudding, a research-driven, AI-based project that revisits the lost pornographic animation film Black Pudding (1969) by Nancy Edell. This workshop series now invites participants to collaborate on an AI-based short animation by contributing to a custom dataset of collages inspired by surviving textual materials (film reviews, critics, etc.) written about the film. The workshop series introduces participants to different forms of AI filmmaking tools in a low-pressure and ecologically mindful setting, and asks: what might AI look like if we slowed it down, made it smaller, and used it to make art together?

Montreal Anarchist Tech Convergence presents a guided discussion inviting all autonomous anarchist groups planning or actively working on building mesh networks across Montreal and the world to get together to discuss strategy, technique and how we can collaborate and coordinate efforts. Bring lunch! Stick around for movie/pizza night at foulab happening afterwards.

The 13th Montreal Asian International Film Festival, in collaboration with HTMlles, presents Intercultural Flavours: Writing Workshop with Jinwoo Park (Oxford Soju Club) and Veena Gokhale (Annapurna's Bounty). This engaging, interactive workshop will feature food writing exercises that draw on the senses, in line with the theme Tangibility for MAIFF 2026. Workshop Highlights include: Readings and presentations from the authors, Group discussions that encourage participants to reflect on personal experiences, Food writing exercises that spark creativity and incite the senses

Dans le cadre de constellation / Un festival anarchiste à Montréal / 14 au 20 mai 2026 / Skill Faire 17 mai 2026 10h - 17h / For anarchists & the anarchocurious / Horaire complet: constellation.mtl.net





Identifying Sources: Anarchism and Historical Research (CÉDA room 119, en français)

Through this workshop, participants will become familiar with research on the history of anarchist and anti-authoritarian communities in Quebec and Canada, as well as the spaces (both self-organized and institutional) where archives are housed. Using examples, participants will gain a better understanding of the different types of sources that can be found there and how to analyze them critically.


Protecting our Community from Airborne Disease and Other Pollution through Improvised Air Purifiers (CÉDA room 123)

Copies of Sars-Cov-2 RNA in wastewater is still quite high, indicating widespread infection.  Avian Flu could be even more severe. The ruling class is deliberately preventing clean air measures through propaganda and other means while they deploy them in their own spaces extensively. Airborne disease is being used as a tool of slow motion genocide.   We will discuss how to use what you have to make really good air purifiers, and then work together to build 2 good machines.




Surviving as an Undocumented Migrant in Montreal (CÉDA room 125)

Every year tens of thousands of migrants in Canada refuse deportation and become undocumented. There are easily hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants living in Montreal alone. With conflicts around the world and worsening Quebec and Canada border policies, these numbers are rising. Community members in this situation are outcast: they live under constant threat of detention and deportation, have no access to legal work, healthcare, post secondary education or any other social programmes, often don’t have valid ID, and are extremely vulnerable to exploitation. Survival is a daily struggle. This skillshare will offer concrete information useful both for daily survival and for building infrastructure to help transform Montreal into a Solidarity City.

The skillshare will be facilitated by members of Solidarity Across Borders, a network of migrants and allies who work together against detention and deportation and for status for all and a Solidarity City.



Being Loud Together: A Shape-Note Singing School with Nineteenth-Century Tunebooks ― with Songs from the Sacred Harp (1844) and the Anti-slavery Harp (1851) (CCGV 2.100)

Come sing! This participatory workshop introduces shape-note singing — a centuries-old communal tradition requiring zero musical experience — and traces some of its historical connections to abolitionist movements. We'll sing (loud!) together, learn a little history, and talk about music as a form of collective resistance.




Riot Medicine 101 (Parc Vinet)

Come learn the basics of street and riot medicine! Due to limited time constraints, this workshop will provide a brief, hands-on, general summary of topics such as protest types and risks, how to treat chemical weapons-related injuries, pre-protest planning, post-protest care practices, preliminary examinations, and protest evacuations.



1:00PM



Reticulum: Unstoppable Networks for the People (CÉDA room 119)

We deeply depend on corporate telecommunications and internet infrastructure for our everyday lives and projects. What if we could build our own autonomous, encrypted networks and break this dependency? For basic text communications, this dream is increasingly possible using mesh networking software called Reticulum on cheap radio hardware. Reticulum is not one network, it is a tool for building thousands of unstoppable networks.




Zine 101: The Radical History of Zine Making (CÉDA room 123)

Zine 101 is a beginner-friendly workshop that highlights how marginalized communities have historically used zines as tools for resistance and storytelling. Participants will learn basic techniques and design concepts to create their own zines as a way of telling their own stories.




Guerrilla Grafting - The Vision, The Project, The Practice (CCGV 2.100, then outside)

Guerrilla grafting is adding fruit-bearing tree branches onto public ornamental trees so that in the coming years, these street trees will produce amazing delicious free fruit (apples, pears, plums, etc.), slowly transforming our streets into food forests for all. Grafting season is NOW and we’re taking action every day. Unlike last year, this workshop will be light on theory and heavy on action. No experience needed.




How to learn to grapple: Jiu-jitsu and Self Defense (Parc Vinet)

A workshop on grappling, self defense, and how our brains and body actually learn it.




3:00PM



Create a Protest Banner (CÉDA room 119)

An art workshop on making your own protest patch or banner textiles.




Worm Moon (CÉDA room 123)

Learn to build a home worm composting station, capable of turning rotten plant matter and old paper into fresh new life. As the workshop unfolds, the worm composters as a metaphor open a larger conversations around how transformation occurs, what supports it, what inhibits it. How must we be transformed if we wish to transform our world? The worms know.




Intro to Somatics for Liberation (CCGV 2.100)

Through body-felt senses, we access more than what the reasoning mind  can hold. For many of us, this pathway has been blocked —and with it,  our agency and personal power. This workshop will introduce you to the  foundational concepts. No experience is required. We'll explore tools  and techniques you can take home. There will be gentle movement, as well  as time sitting on the floor. For intimacy within the group, note that  the doors will close after we begin.




D.I.Y sauerkraut, cheap healthy probiotics (CÉDA kitchen)

Come learn how to make sauerkraut,  and go away with a tasty jar to nourish you and your friends!



4:00PM



Collective Care & Personal Well-being when Facing an Impasse (CÉDA room 119)

Various long-standing struggles provide inspirations of drawing from our own collective experience in face of impasses encountered in our groups and beyond. This workshop will be a space for inspiration and empathy where we propose collective restoration to nurture ourselves and our collectives, drawing from the practice of building restorative systems that emerged from the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. A caringly facilitated discussion in a co-created safer space.





Building Solidarity with Queer and Trans Prisoners (CÉDA room 123)

In this workshop, we'll explore what the specific challenges faced by queer and trans prisoners, how we handle them as an organization that communicates mainly through mail, and discuss strategies to support these folks, particularly in the broader context of policy changes for trans prisoners in the US and Canada.We will give participants an opportunity to sign-up on the spot to correspond with a


Leadership for Anarchists! (CÉDA room 125)

Leadership is a set of skills you don't have to learn the hard way through trial and error! In our circles, good leadership - shared, fluid, solid - is necessary to the success of our various grassroots projects and the vitality of our organizing communities. This workshop will demystify what "leadership" really means and highlight three (3) underrated core leadership skills with a bit of theory, discussion, and hands on practice. Bring your courage and your notebooks! All levels welcome.



Intro to Feminist Self-defense (CCGV 2.100, en français)

This workshop is not open to cis men (mixité choisie).

This introduction to feminist self-defense is a comprehensive session in itself, designed to explore issues of boundaries and aggression. It can also serve as a gateway to a longer program or a regular self-defense practice. This two-hour session focuses on verbal, psychological, and physical defenses. We learn to identify, articulate, and defend our boundaries. No special equipment is required.

Grafting meetup with a short ~10 minute presentation about the project followed by a march en masse to a high-traffic local park to turn theory into action. Will likely be very well attended by people with no experience at previous events with a vibe of "Look at this! Come join us!" rather than in-depth 1-on-1 instruction. There will be way more action and opportunity for learning than last year's presentation at this same festival. For those with previous experience, encouraged to come and help split up the crowd so that one group can watch what one person is doing and another can watch another person. Fresh supplies (tools, scion, etc.) will be available for anyone looking to re-stock, with no pressure to help present if you don't want to. Please come on time!

An afternoon of presentations, discussions, and anarchist theory. This year's theme is technology. Using tools and technics to extend the will is no novel concept, just ask the crow, but the tangle of a primate desire to hammer and the ever increasing number of nails is a fair bit more complicated than that of our avian fellows. Join us to dissect these desires, and discuss the various anarchist relationships to, or assessments of, technology. Give me a long enough lever and I will topple the state!... Unless it's the master's lever. Free, of course! (Donations will help cover costs) Coffee and snacks!

Roundtable + Performance. Communautaires et des technologues à venir partager leurs réflexions sur la manière dont les infrastructures communautaires sont construites et entretenues. Nous dresserons la liste des organisations et des actrices qui ont marqué la scène cyberféministe d'hier et d'aujourd'hui et suivront un bref historique et une mise en contexte de Cyber Love, ainsi que des conseils pratiques qu'iels ont appris depuis leurs premiers mouvements populaires en 2021. Les participant-es seront invité-es à partager leurs propres idées sur le développement communautaire : ce qui a fonctionné ce qui n'a pas fonctionné, et à souligner les problèmes qu'iels ont vu réapparaître de manière cyclique. Ensemble, nous terminerons en soulignant les pistes à suivre pour une organisation collective future et une solidarité et une collaboration plus fortes. La table ronde sera suivie d'un cocktail de réseautage. Avec performances de Emily Sirota & Evgenia Mikhaylova de LeParc.

Join us for the launch of Chanel Sutherland's book, Layaway Child. The author will be joined for a discussion with H. Nigel Thomas. Layaway Child is a luminous debut short story collection by award-winning writer Chanel Sutherland that explores the emotional landscapes of Caribbean families fractured by migration, especially the harrowing yet resilient journeys of Black girls and women. In lyrical, linked stories, Sutherland traces the lives of mothers working abroad as housekeepers and nannies, and the children they left behind. From lush island childhoods marked by absence and community, to the cold, alienating spaces of Canadian cities, Layaway Child captures the complexity of growing up between worlds. A mother, newly arrived in Montreal, is kept from speaking to her daughters by her own mother's misguided attempt to help her let go of home. A schoolgirl becomes a spectacle under the gaze of white classmates. Sutherland brings deep compassion and sharp insight to each moment. Chanel Sutherland is a Vincentian Canadian writer who won the 2021 CBC Nonfiction Prize and the 2022 CBC Short Story Prize and was named one of CBC Books 30 Writers to Watch in 2022. She was also the overall winner of the 2025 Commonwealth Short Story Prize. H. Nigel Thomas came to Canada from St Vincent and the Grenadines in 1968 and is a retired professor of U.S. literature, author of numerous essays and fifteen books, and a co-founder of Lectures Logos Readings. His fiction focuses on queer themes, parent-child relationships in Canada and the Caribbean. He has received many awards, including the 2022 Canada Council John Molson Prize for the Arts. Masks are not required, but will be provided for free at the door. For elevator access, please contact us at least a day in advance of the event.

Book swapping event. Open to anyone - no need to take the pilates class to join the swap. Finish a mat pilates class feeling strong & rejuvenated, then get free new books while drinking a cold Zamalek.

Explores the social transformations associated with digital creativity, in a context where immersive technologies (virtual reality, augmented reality, 360° immersive installations, etc.), video games (commercial, experimental, artistic, etc.), and special effects (animation, compositing, 3D, etc.) occupy an increasingly central place in our cultural practices, imaginaries, and ways of life. Research creation provides a privileged framework for rethinking digital creativity and its social impacts. It offers a space where creative practices become modes of analysis, where works function as critical devices, and where processes themselves reveal the socio technical dynamics shaping our digital environments. The symposium is open to the public. Hybrid. Bilingual. Organized by the Chaire de recherche en économie créative et mieux-être (CREAT), in collaboration with the Hexagram Network, and is presented as part of the 2026 Interdisciplinary Encounters.

Explores the social transformations associated with digital creativity, in a context where immersive technologies (virtual reality, augmented reality, 360° immersive installations, etc.), video games (commercial, experimental, artistic, etc.), and special effects (animation, compositing, 3D, etc.) occupy an increasingly central place in our cultural practices, imaginaries, and ways of life. Research creation provides a privileged framework for rethinking digital creativity and its social impacts. It offers a space where creative practices become modes of analysis, where works function as critical devices, and where processes themselves reveal the socio technical dynamics shaping our digital environments. The symposium is open to the public. Hybrid. Bilingual. Organized by the Chaire de recherche en économie créative et mieux-être (CREAT), in collaboration with the Hexagram Network, and is presented as part of the 2026 Interdisciplinary Encounters.

Speaker Craig Kaplan (University of Waterloo) discusses deep questions in tiling theory, including Heesch's problem (how many times a non-tiler may be surrounded by copies of itself), the isohedral number problem (how many transitivity classes a shape may force upon its periodic tilings), and the einstein problem (a single shape forced to tile non-periodically). Discussion of mathematical and computational research and generalizations to multiple shapes.

Join our intercultural language hikes in Mount Royal Park. Small group discussions during the walk + friendly snack at the end. Activity as part of the Plateau plant distribution — arrive early to take advantage of the kiosks!

Join our intercultural language hikes in Mount Royal Park. Small group discussions during the walk + friendly snack at the end. Activity as part of the Plateau plant distribution — arrive early to take advantage of the kiosks!

Lancement du recueil J'me barre à l'aube de Claude André

Registration is now open for the Unreal Engine for artists workshop! Real-time 3D environments offer diverse possibilities for engaging and immersing viewers in virtual worlds. This project-driven workshop studio explores immersive practices using Unreal Engine 5, with participants developing individual projects supported by targeted demos and one-on-one guidance. Additional sessions: June 6, 12-4pm. Individual and small group coaching from June 3rd to 10th at Ada X and online.

In this workshop, we will explore the possibilities offered by cyanotype to uncover new horizons within the participants' archives. Everyone is invited to bring objects, negatives, images printed on transparent materials, fabrics, textiles, and other personal effects to create solar prints. By using the sun to produce images and texts, we resist the oppressive structures under which we collectively work and explore new possibilities in the fields of research and creation. We will recite and reclaim individual narratives within collective histories of resistance.