The Spring of Architecture transforms the Sutton School of Art into a vibrant hub for meeting and exchange. Members of the public, experts and architecture enthusiasts are invited to discover innovative projects and take part in a collective discussion on the future of our built environments.
Through exhibition-residencies led by architects and arts camps exploring the processes of architectural creation, this programme becomes a genuine social project where children and adults can imagine the future of our communities together.
TRANSFORMATIONS
Revealing time through art and architecture
From 2 May to 7 June 2026
Opening on 2 May at 5 pm
2026 Programme
At all times
Friday to Sunday | 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. | general admission $10
Art Lab. Café-Bar.
Specialised library
a selection by Marie-Sophie Bergeron
Building up a specialised book collection enhances the museum experience by extending the exploration beyond the exhibits on display. This supplementary section provides visitors with historical, contextual (and sometimes theoretical) insights that deepen their understanding of the themes presented. This sort of initiative stimulates curiosity and encourages independent learning. By engaging with the books and offering a moment for reflection and inspiration, we turn the visit into an even more meaningful experience.
Exhibitions
02.24 – 02.26 Memory exercise
an installation by Philippe Tremblay and Maude Lefebvre, sound design by Zachary Fleury
02.24. Strong winds blew the roofs and walls off the metal sculpture workshops and the covered walkway at Sutton School of Art. These fragile structures did not remain in ruins for long; today, all that remains are faint traces of a history that is still fresh in the memory.
Faced with the impossibility of preserving these historically significant ruins, the Sutton School of Art is opening its doors to two young artists, Philippe Tremblay and Maude Lefebvre, who will engage with them—both in person and through memory—as part of a long-term residency.
02.26. They have painted a poignant picture of what once was, what has been dismantled, and what remains, by exploring the theme of memory. This is an exercise in memory.
La Maison des générations Olivet House
by eba architecture
Drawing on historical photographs, technical drawings, site photos and publications, the exhibition will showcase the extensive process leading up to the opening of the Maison des générations Olivet House in 2024. When viewed alongside historical records, the physical transformation of the church – which has remained hidden behind the hoardings – has the potential to reveal the building’s extraordinary value. It is this hidden story that eba architecture will seek to bring to light; a local story of collaboration, but also of technology and beauty.
A Presence in Absence
by Emilie Brière-Bernard
This project offers a close examination of the building’s often-overlooked details.
Here, the gaze draws closer. He focuses on the traces, the textures, and the signs of time. To that which lingers discreetly in the recesses of a wall, in the light that caresses a surface, in the interplay between architecture and the living world.
Everything here speaks of cycles and impermanence. A memory etched into the fabric of things. Beauty revealed in simplicity. With humility, the images seek to bring out the fragility and strength of a place steeped in history – the history of the old dairy, the art school, and the changes and transformations it has undergone.
This is about mindfulness, slowness, and a sense of solitude. An attempt to reveal what usually lies just beyond the reach of our gaze.
Ideal / Ideal Redux
by Chloé Beaulac & Alexandre Landry
In 2011, a black-and-white photograph shows a building with the word ‘IDEAL’ on its façade. A question posed to architecture. In 2018, Chloé Beaulac reworked this image using pyrography and photographic transfer as part of her series La Dérive, which she developed over a period of six years. Two works, one building.
Daisy Creamery
by Héritage Sutton
Founded in 1894, Daisy Creamery has been the economic heart of the region for nearly a century. At its peak, over a thousand dairy farmers supplied their cream to the factory, and around sixty people worked there. Glass bottles were passed back and forth between the dairy and local families — washed, turned upside down, and reused. Héritage Sutton has collected the testimonies, artefacts and archives relating to this history. What they present here is a portrait of a place before it became what it is today.
Calendar of events
Saturday 2 May at 5 pm
Opening
Details of the event will be available soon!
Sunday 3 May, from 11am to 2pm
Questions to ask yourself before undertaking an eco-friendly renovation
A conference by William Murray
This interactive talk offers an accessible introduction to eco-friendly renovation and building science. Through an interactive presentation followed by a discussion session, participants will have the opportunity to gain a better understanding of eco-friendly renovation approaches, identify pitfalls to avoid, and consider the right choices for improving a building’s energy performance. The discussion will focus, among other things, on wall construction and strategies suited to the Quebec climate. The event is aimed at the general public as well as professionals in the construction and renovation sectors.
Saturday 16 May, from 1 pm to 2 pm
A talk by Elisabeth Bouchard (eba architecture) at the Sutton Volunteer Centre (CAB), followed by a brief tour of the premises.
Built in the 19th century through the merger of four religious congregations, Olivet Church is one of the oldest reminders of the development of the village of Sutton. The transformation process for the Sutton Community Centre is also characterised by collaboration between the various project stakeholders, from the initial concept right through to the official opening. In this lecture, we will explore the origins of these two periods of construction, as well as the architectural features of the church and the changes it has undergone over time, in an attempt to trace the history of Olivet Church from 1845 to the present day.
Saturday 23 May, from 11am to 5pm
Enhancing the value of existing buildings – Industrial heritage for the climate
Conference
Names of the participant(s)
Marie-Chantal Croft, architect
Etienne Berthold, Associate Professor
Marika Frenette, architect
Further details to follow
Friday 29 May, from 5pm to 9pm
TRACES: The Grief Processor
An immersive experience by Vali Fugulin
TRACES: The Grief Processor is an immersive collective virtual reality (CVR) documentary experience, designed to be experienced in person in a public space. This type of experience allows several participants to come together in the same physical space, whilst sharing a common virtual world.
Guided by the voice of ritualist and actor Stéphane Crête, four participants are invited to explore the theme of grief in all its forms. Drawing on their own memories, photographs and words, they revisit the traces left behind by a loss – whether it be a loved one, a dream that has faded, or a turning point in their lives.
Inspired by the personal journey of the designer Vali Fugulin, The experience transports visitors into a virtual, poetic and sensory forest. A place where memories take shape, and where every step, every gesture, becomes a way of coming to terms with grief rather than running away from it.
TRACES is a vibrant and poetic experience, constantly evolving, shaped by your stories and memories.
A 25-minute VR experience, with free movement, for 2 to 4 users at a time.
Saturday 30 May, from 11am to 5pm
TRACES: The Grief Processor
An immersive experience by Vali Fugulin
TRACES: The Grief Processor is an immersive collective virtual reality (CVR) documentary experience, designed to be experienced in person in a public space. This type of experience allows several participants to come together in the same physical space, whilst sharing a common virtual world.
Guided by the voice of ritualist and actor Stéphane Crête, four participants are invited to explore the theme of grief in all its forms. Drawing on their own memories, photographs and words, they revisit the traces left behind by a loss – whether it be a loved one, a dream that has faded, or a turning point in their lives.
Inspired by the personal journey of the designer Vali Fugulin, The experience transports visitors into a virtual, poetic and sensory forest. A place where memories take shape, and where every step, every gesture, becomes a way of coming to terms with grief rather than running away from it.
TRACES is a vibrant and poetic experience, constantly evolving, shaped by your stories and memories.
A 25-minute VR experience, with free movement, for 2 to 4 users at a time.
Sunday 7 June, from 11am to 5pm
Closing day
Further details to follow
Archives 2025
Opening hours :
PUBLIC CONSULTATION:
Sunday 18 May at 1 pm
RSVP:
https://forms.gle/SkHiFKUptaYmSMPR7
EXHIBITION:
from 11 April to 31 May
Friday, Saturday and Sunday
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Free entry
How can we provide more housing while staying true to a village's caracter?
For the seventh edition of Printemps de l'architecture, the Sutton school of Art proposes a citizen conversation on density in rural areas. Faced with the housing crisis and urban sprawl, this program invites the community to explore solutions adapted to villages like Sutton.
Nine architectural proposals, designed by L'Ensemble, a non-profit organization dedicated to architectural and urban innovation, will serve as a starting point for imagining, together, the future of our territories.
This conversation will take place over several weeks, and will feature a variety of activities to engage citizens in different ways.
*On the program: discussions with the architects during the exhibition tour, children's workshops, a café area, screenings and a public consultation (date to be announced) bringing the community together to collectively reflect on these crucial issues.
Bilingual exhibition
Testimonials 2024: I really enjoyed this immersion experience in the world of architecture. It's no wonder I chose architecture as my CEGEP subject! -C, 18 years old
MAY 3 TO 19, 2024
Discover 5 architecture exhibitions - the architecture library - play stations
Since 2017, the Sutton School of Art has been an essential part of the local cultural landscape, offering outstanding events every year. For the sixth year in a row, it offers a springtime immersion in architecture, presenting a dozen projects completed from 2018 to 2023 by children aged 6 to 14 from the Eastern Townships, as well as Quebec architects, in collaboration with the Maison de l'Architecture du Québec. This exhibition highlights architecture as a language, a social construction site and a reflection on living together better. In dialogue with past works, it illustrates the Sutton School of Art commitment to building its environment with the community, in line with its values.
Thank you for the success of this 6th edition!
Official partner
Our collaborators
Stéphane Durand - Emmanuelle Tittley