Wednesday 14 October, 9:15 am. The MTL connecte international delegation begins its day at 5425 avenue Casgrain, in Tiohtià:ke/Montréal, at daphne.
I left transported. You can feel a vital energy there, the energy of First Nations and of those who claim them as their own, one that will never disappear, and that keeps pushing forward the ways we express ourselves. Starting the trip in this place set the tone for everything that followed.
A centre made by artists
daphne is a non-profit Indigenous artist-run centre “committed to serving the needs of emerging, mid-career, and established Indigenous artists”. It grew out of a long-held vision shared by Indigenous artists in Montréal: an artist-run centre shaped by Indigenous values, protocols and relationships.
It was founded on 1 April 2019 by Kanien’kehá:ka and Anishinaabe artists Hannah Claus, Skawennati, Nadia Myre and Caroline Monnet. It is named in honour of Anishinaabe artist Daphne Odjig, whose community-building work continues to inspire, and it is guided by the Kanien’kehá:ka Ohén:ton Karihwatéhkwen and the Anishinaabe Grandparent Teachings.
A path
Since it opened its doors in 2021, and up to 2025: 24 exhibitions, 37 artists, 20 artist talks, 15 workshops, 12 artist residencies, 11 curators, 12 internships. A programme that reaches beyond the gallery walls, through community initiatives and public events, and now extends to Aotearoa (New Zealand), the United Kingdom and France.
daphne seeks to encourage “a culture of peace” through critical, respectful exchange between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peers and audiences. Its priorities say it all: artistic sovereignty, cultural continuity, community care. It resonates with what I am trying to build in Martinique, with archives that remain with the people who make them.
Lori Beavis
Lori Beavis is daphne’s director. She is also an independent curator, art educator and art historian. She is the one who welcomed us.
On now
Two exhibitions are on view until 18 December 2026: We tend to care by Carrie Allison, and Sky Woman is all around us by Shelley Niro. I will come back to them in two articles, one per artist.
Monday to Saturday, 12 to 5 pm, at 5425 avenue Casgrain, unit 103. Follow daphne on Instagram.
Thank you
To Lori Beavis, who welcomed us. To the daphne team, Amanda Ibarra and Noé Elbaz, and to its board of directors: Caroline Monnet, Hannah Claus, Jobena Petonoquot, Michelle McGeough, Nadia Myre and Skawennati.
daphne is supported by the Conseil des arts de Montréal, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec and the Canada Council for the Arts.