La Guilde is one of Canada’s oldest cultural institutions still actively reshaping how art and craft are seen, preserved, and shared. Founded in 1906 out of the Women’s Art Association’s push to elevate Canadian craftsmanship, it has since become a vital platform for Inuit, First Nations, and Métis artists, as well as for fine craft practitioners across the country. Now based on Sherbrooke Street West, La Guilde presents exhibitions, educational programming, and an extensive permanent collection that includes one of the earliest and most significant holdings of Inuit art in Canada. The gallery also functions as a shop, offering handmade works ranging from jewellery to sculpture, with staff deeply knowledgeable in the practices they represent. Its open-concept layout allows for fluid interaction between past and present, craft and fine art, maker and visitor—an approach that mirrors its mission: to champion cultural knowledge, creative excellence, and accessibility across generations.
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