Les Impatients

What Les Impatients does

Les Impatients is a registered Canadian charity (Organisme de bienfaisance enregistré, registration 13484-5213-RR0001) founded in May 1992 in Montreal, Quebec. The organization helps people with mental health challenges through artistic expression, operating approximately 26 free weekly art workshops across Quebec in visual arts, drawing, sculpture, comic books, and music. These workshops serve more than 950 participants per week and are delivered through partnerships with healthcare institutions (notably the Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, where a 1989 pilot project originated) and community sites. The organization's core products are the creative workshops themselves, the Collection Les Impatients — a curated outsider art archive of works from approximately 150 creators, recognized as among the most important such collections in North America — and a portfolio of cultural and fundraising products including the flagship annual Parle-moi d'amour exhibition-auction (running since 1999; 26th edition in 2024 raised over $350,000), the Printemps Impatients virtual auction, the Mille mots publication series, the Miroir Miroir portrait campaign, and an online boutique at boutique.impatients.ca. Gallery spaces include the main site at 5800 rue Saint-Denis and the Salle-de-mélangement exhibition space at 100 Sherbrooke Est.

The business model is non-commercial and donation-dependent: workshops are free to participants, and revenue is generated through individual and corporate donations, foundation grants (Audain, Riopelle, Lassonde, Segal, Fondation Phila, AGF Group Foundation), government funding (MSSS), corporate sponsorships (Loto-Québec as presenting partner, Desjardins, Rio Tinto, Mobilia, Fiera Capital), charitable gaming proceeds (BINGO Pointe-aux-Trembles, approximately $50,000 annually), and revenue from exhibition-auction events plus online merchandise sales. Distribution is community-led and event-driven: workshops are accessed through healthcare referrals and community outreach; flagship events combine in-person exhibitions with online auctions via the MaCause platform. The organization operates within an embedded ecosystem of cultural institutions (Place des Arts, MAC LAU, Musée d'art de Joliette, 1700 La Poste) and has extended international visibility through participation in the Outsider Art Fair in New York (2020) and Paris (2019).

The go-to-market motion is primarily community-led, supplemented by event-driven fundraising. Approximately 30 years of brand building, a board chaired by psychiatrists, and a partnership with Desjardins (2020) — the first Canadian corporate referral arrangement of its kind for the organization's long-term disability policyholders — illustrate a strategy of institutionalizing referral pathways into Quebec's health and insurance ecosystems. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Dr. Leon Tourian, with founder Lorraine Palardy serving as President-Founder and Frédéric Palardy as General Manager; Dr. Jean-Bernard Trudeau transitioned off the board presidency in 2022 after 13 years of service.

Name

Les Impatients

Legal name

Les Impatients

Website

https://impatients.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Les Impatients is a Quebec-registered charity founded in 1992 that delivers free weekly art workshops to over 950 people with mental health challenges across 26 locations, supplemented by a 150-creator outsider art collection and the annual Parle-moi d'amour exhibition-auction fundraiser.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health and Art Therapy Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts & Crafts Workshops (Painting, Pottery, Ceramics, Sculpture) (THAJAKAA)

Keywords

• Therapeutic art workshops
• Mental health nonprofit
• Art therapy services
• Outsider art collection
• Community arts programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Philanthropy: Individual and corporate donations form a core revenue stream, supported by an annual fundraising campaign and emergency campaigns. Donors include family foundations (Audain Foundation, Jean Paul Riopelle Foundation, Pierre Lassonde Foundation, Alvin Segal Foundation) and corporate sponsors.
2. Exhibition-Auction Fundraising Events: Parle-moi d'amour exhibition-auction events generate significant revenue through sale of artworks by workshop participants, professional artists, and collector donations. The Montreal edition alone has raised over $300,000; regional editions (Drummondville $85,000, Wellington Center $54,000) contribute substantially.
3. Online Boutique: The organization operates an online store (boutique.impatients.ca) selling artwork-inspired products, catalogues, books (e.g., Mille mots d'amour series), and participant-created works.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Les Impatients delivers free weekly therapeutic art workshops (painting, drawing, sculpture, comic books, music) at approximately 26 locations across Quebec to people with mental health challenges, serving over 950 individuals weekly across nearly 100 sessions. The organization also preserves and exhibits participant artwork through the Collection Les Impatients (approximately 150 creators) and generates operating revenue via flagship fundraising events (Parle-moi d'amour exhibition-auction, Printemps Impatients virtual auction, Miroir Miroir campaign) and an online boutique.

Product overview

Les Impatients is a non-profit charitable organization that helps people with mental health issues through artistic expression. The organization operates as a unified service model consisting of creative workshops (ateliers de création) as its core offering, supplemented by exhibition spaces and fundraising events. The main products include: weekly creative workshops serving 950+ people across nearly 100 locations; the Collection Les Impatients (art collection of 150+ creators aligned with outsider art); the annual Parle-moi d'amour exhibition-auction (26th edition in 2024); the Printemps Impatients virtual auction; the Mille mots publication series; Miroir Miroir portrait fundraising campaign; and an online store. The organization has 17 points of service across 12 cities in Quebec.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Parle-moi d'amour: Annual flagship exhibition-auction fundraising event presented since 1999, featuring artworks from workshop participants, professional artists, and private collectors.
• Printemps Impatients
• Miroir Miroir

Products and services

• Creative Workshops (Ateliers de création) Weekly free therapeutic art workshops in painting, drawing, sculpture, comic books, and music, delivered at nearly 100 sessions across approximately 26 locations in Quebec to people with mental health challenges. Each week more than 950 individuals participate through referral by healthcare institutions, community outreach, or self-referral.
• Collection Les Impatients A permanent collection of artworks created by workshop participants, currently comprising works from approximately 150 creators. Recognized as a pioneer collection in Canada for outsider art and ranked among the most important collections of its kind in North America, presented at international fairs (Outsider Art Fair New York and Paris) and in gallery exhibitions.
• Parle-moi d'amour Exhibition-Auction Annual exhibition-auction combining works from workshop participants, professional artists, and private collectors, presented live and online via the MaCause platform. The flagship Montreal edition typically raises over $300,000; the 26th edition (2024) raised over $350,000. Regional editions in Drummondville and other cities contribute additional revenue.
• Printemps Impatients Virtual Auction Annual virtual silent auction featuring works donated from private collections, established as a complementary fundraising format (particularly during the pandemic) to support ongoing workshop activities. Recent editions have raised approximately $36,000–$37,000 each.
• Miroir Miroir Campaign Artistic and philanthropic campaign in which workshop participants reinterpret portraits of ambassadors using stencil techniques, fostering dialogue between participants and the public and raising funds for the organization.
• Online Boutique (Boutique en ligne) Online store at boutique.impatients.ca selling artwork-inspired products, exhibition catalogues, the Mille mots publication series (Mille mots d'amour, Mille mots de voyage, Mille mots en souvenir), prints of participant artwork, and art-inspired merchandise including canvas prints and silk face masks created in partnership with Mobilia and designer Nathon Kong.
• Exhibition Spaces (Galerie des Impatients / Salle-de-mélangement) Physical gallery spaces hosting exhibitions of workshop participant artwork and special projects, including the main gallery at 5800 rue Saint-Denis and the Salle-de-mélangement exhibition space at 100 Sherbrooke Est, Montreal. Open Monday–Friday 9:30 AM–4:30 PM.

Quantifiable outcome

• 87% of people attending creation workshops saw their health improve
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• DesjardinsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2020Desjardins became the first company to partner with Les Impatients to offer creative workshops to its long-term disability policyholders. This innovative partnership allows about 20 people per week to benefit from Les Impatients workshops at their downtown Montreal offices, led by a visual artist. Desjardins recognized the health benefits of art and took concrete action for policyholder well-being — a first in Canada.
• Rio Tinto Iron and TitaniumcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRio Tinto Iron and Titanium is identified as a major partner for the workshops in Sorel-Tracy, supporting Les Impatients' regional expansion.
• MobiliacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMobilia collaborated with Les Impatients and designer Nathon Kong to sell artwork by workshop participant Antonio Mazza (canvas prints at $399 with $55 donation per sale) and silk face masks ($35 with $5 donation per sale) featuring his artwork. This partnership showcases participant work in Mobilia's Quebec and Ontario retail stores and online.
• Nathon KongcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFashion designer Nathon Kong partnered with Les Impatients and Mobilia to create silk face masks featuring artwork by workshop participant Antonio Mazza. Kong holds a bachelor's degree in microbiology from McGill University and shifted part of his brand to produce stylish face masks during the pandemic, with proceeds supporting Les Impatients.
• Loto-QuébecflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerLoto-Québec is the presenting partner for Parle-moi d'amour exhibition-auction events (Montreal and Repentigny editions), providing significant financial and visibility support for Les Impatients' main fundraising events.
• Place des ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlace des Arts collaborated with Les Impatients on the 'Ce paysage qui te ressemble' exhibition, a multidisciplinary project featuring poetic works from workshop participants, with performances from musical workshops. Supported by the Fondation de la Place des Arts.
• ArtchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtch partnered with Les Impatients to host a panel discussion on 'Creation and mental health' featuring artists, workshop leaders, participants, and psychiatrists, aimed at demystifying mental health through art.
• École de joaillerie de MontréalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough a Ville de Montréal program, the École de joaillerie de Montréal offered jewelry-making workshops to young adults in Les Impatients workshops in 2019, culminating in a virtual exhibition 'Le bijou narratif, une histoire inventée.'
• Musée d'art contemporain des Laurentides (MAC LAU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLes Impatients workshop at MAC LAU has been participating in Raphaëlle de Groot's 'Prépare ton sac' project, with workshop participant contributions featured in the permanent exhibit 'Communes mesures.' Long-term residency collaboration also involves CIUSSS of the Laurentians and Cégep de Saint-Jérôme.
• 1700 La PostecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner1700 La Poste hosted the 30th anniversary exhibition 'Enchanté·e! Regard sur trente ans de création et d'espoir' showcasing exceptional works from the Collection Les Impatients. The venue's team curated the exhibition in collaboration with Les Impatients.
• Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal (IUSMM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe IUSMM is the birthplace of Les Impatients' pilot project in 1989 and continues to host workshops and house the Collection Les Impatients. Les Impatients collaborated on the permanent exhibition 'S'élever' at the Clinique Lahaise 200, supported by the Fondation de l'IUSMM and CIUSSS de l'Est-de-l'Île-de-Montréal.
• CIUSSS de l'Est-de-l'Île-de-MontréalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIUSSS de l'Est-de-l'Île-de-Montréal supports Les Impatients workshops at IUSMM and collaborated on the 'S'élever' permanent exhibition at the Clinique Lahaise 200.
• Douglas Mental Health University Institute (CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Les Impatients on the Parle-moi d'amour Wellington Center edition (Verdun). The Douglas Institute presents exhibitions and supports workshops in the West Island of Montreal.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Creative Growth: Oakland, California-based nonprofit art studio that supports artists with developmental, mental, and physical disabilities through professional art-making and exhibition. Operates a major outsider art collection and gallery, directly comparable to Les Impatients' Collection and workshop model.
• Creativity Explored: San Francisco-based nonprofit supporting artists with developmental disabilities through studio programming, exhibitions, and a permanent collection of outsider/outsider-leaning art. Shares Les Impatients' core model of free workshop access, a curated collection, and gallery exhibitions.

Others

• Fondation Grantham pour l'art et la santé: Quebec-based foundation focused on the intersection of art and health, with overlapping objectives of using creative practice to support wellbeing. Adjacent/ecosystem peer rather than a direct workshop operator.
• La Place des Arts: Montreal performing arts venue that co-presented exhibitions with Les Impatients (e.g., 'Ce paysage qui te ressemble'). A venue/ecosystem partner rather than a direct service peer, but shares the Quebec arts community and exhibition infrastructure.
• AMI-Québec: Quebec-based mental health advocacy and support organization that awarded Les Impatients the 2020 Ella Amir Award. A thematic/ecosystem peer rather than a direct arts competitor; potential referral partner given overlapping mental health mission in the same province.
• Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA): National mental health nonprofit providing support programs, policy advocacy, and resources across Canada. While not an arts workshop operator, it shares the broader mental-health support mission and is a comparable large-scale Quebec/Canada peer in the same client population.

Regional players

• Arts Project Australia: Melbourne-based nonprofit supporting artists with intellectual disabilities through studio practice, exhibitions, and a permanent collection. Operates a comparable outsider art studio + collection + exhibition model but is geographically based in Australia, not directly competing in Quebec.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/lesimpatients
• YouTubevimeo.com/lesimpatients
• Facebookfacebook.com/organisme.les.impatients
• Instagraminstagram.com/lesimpatients
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/les-impatients

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Les Impatients