For a few years now Galerie B-312 has been partnering with community organizations to promote audience development and a better understanding of contemporary art and its practices. This is in continuation with a collaboration initiated in 2015 with Action Centre-Ville, an organization offering activities to individuals aged 50 and above, the gallery has teamed up with the Carrefour d’éducation populaire de Pointe-Saint-Charles to offer painting workshops.

Run by Isabelle Guimond and Gabrielle Lajoie-Bergeron, two professional artists whose approaches are in line with the Carrefour’s preoccupations, the workshops offered allow participants to become acquainted with an artistic practice, but also develop a critical look on the world surrounding them as well as on the images, icons and stereotypes. For Galerie B-312, it is a great opportunity to introduce a new audience to contemporary art through workshops and a "behind the scenes" look at artistic creation via artist studio visits, as well as a guided tour of Galerie B-312 and other art spaces of the Belgo building.

With Peinture—reflet social, a project that is part of the Artistes-animateurs en milieu de loisirprogram offered by Ville de Montréal, Galerie B-312 responds to the Carrefour’s patrons’ request who have long wished to have access to painting workshops. Among other things, the Carrefour grants access to the most disadvantaged, the illiterate, and the people suffering from intellectual deficiencies and mental illnesses to take part in citizen committees and social activities. This workshop enhances the centre’s activities which aim to mobilize the population of their territory by offering various programs related to social justice and inclusion.

The workshops are offered from September 2016 to August 2017.