The Collectif is Closing at end of Summer 2026 Mission Accomplished
We started something.
We started something good.
And on 30 September 2026, it’s going to end.
On 26 October 2016, what has become known throughout SDG and beyond as The Collectif, had its first meeting in Bobi’s living room. Twelve people showed up, and the group was officially formed. What followed has been 10 amazing years of art and camaraderie.
In that decade, by end of September 2026, The Collectif will have taken part in, put on, and given:
- 3 Canada Day parades
- 29 Art shows
- 26 Coffee Houses
- 8 bake sales
- 2 Cabarets
- 7 Workshops
- 11 Write Things
- 7 artworks gifted to the Township of North Glengarry
- 1 Affordable Art $ale
- 1 digital Art Show (Kilt Skate, during the pandemic)
- 120 board meetings
- 5 mural projects, one with local elementary schools, and
- more than 550 Collectif Creativity posts on the website!
Our Mission:
The Collectif d’artistes de Glengarry Artists’ Collective [the Collectif] is a not-for-profit assembly of artists engaging with residents to create community-building programs & significant personal & community growth. To make art accessible.
We’ve worked very hard to make those goals a reality. We won two awards that bear testimony to our success – one from Community Living for Inclusion, and one from the Township of North Glengarry for Community Service. We, and many of our members, have been written about uncountable times in local and not-so-local papers.
When we began, we were the only art group in town. We peaked at over 90 members before the pandemic and have been slowly dwindling since. That is not a bad thing – people took notice and formed their own, more local groups. Glen Robertson now has an art group. PMAC opened a beautiful gallery in Alexandria. The Encore Photo Club is holding its second show this year. The Glengarry Hub has just opened on Main Street. The Cline House Gallery in Cornwall offers many opportunities for artists to exhibit, and Focus Art remains a vibrant organization that welcomes new members.
It is known that Glengarry is a hive of artistic creativity of all descriptions. We have succeeded in inspiring and encouraging artists of all levels and kinds to persevere and share their work for the joy of others (and themselves!)
And now…
We have given 10 years and witnessed a significant creative resurgence in the area. We’ll have the three regular summer shows in April, June and August. And with that, The Glengarry Artists’ Collective ends.
We thank all our board members over the years; local businesses and sponsors; municipalities and museums; donors, art appreciators (and buyers). And, of course, our members. Art is for everyone.
For more information, please contact:
Bobi Leutschaft Poitras, President 613 362 9949 thecollectif.ca@gmail.com
Yvonne Callaway, VP Treasurer, Membership 613 525 0902 thecollectif.ca@gmail.com
Welcome
The site was created & is maintained by a very small group of dedicated volunteers: it is intended as a Collectif collaboration. Accordingly, we count on everyone to feed us appropriate information (we DON’T know it all!)
Please “Follow us”, as well as repost items of interest to Facebook, Google+, Pinterest etc. using the buttons at the bottom of each webpage.
About Us
The Collectif has about 80 members. To date the not-for-profit group has created:
- The BIG Show, an annual spring fling
- Town-wide art display, Windows on Our World [WOW 2017,18, 21, 23]
- Annual exhibitions at Glengarry Nor’Westers & Loyalist Museum (now the Juried Show) and Glengarry Pioneer Museum
- Workshops for members & non-members
- Four murals, one involving five local schools. This 12 x 32′ beauty went up in September 2019
- Town-wide art displays, readings & art/music happenings.
The Collective’s intention was to make art a living asset in our area.
Mission
The Collectif d’artistes de Glengarry Artists’ Collective [CAGAC] is a not-for-profit assembly of artists engaging with residents to create community-building programs & significant personal & community growth.
Members practice visual & lens-based art, writing & performance. The group was founded in October 2016.
Board of Directors
- Bobi Leutschaft Poitras, President
- Yvonne Callaway, VP Treasurer & Membership
- Lynne Ayers, Secretary
- Kerry Herwynen McIntosh, Director & Hospitality
- Susan Irving, Director
- Laura Nussbaumer Peck, Director
- Lucie Karakashian
Collectif 