Atelier Silex

What Atelier Silex does

Atelier Silex is a non-profit, self-managed artist center (centre d'artistes autogéré) founded in 1983 in Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada, by recently graduated visual arts students seeking to pool production resources. The organization supports emerging and professional artists — primarily from the Quebec region including students from Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières — through access to seven specialized production workshops (wood, metal, ceramics, glass, stone, digital fabrication, video/photo), digital production workstations (Studio Cobalt with Alien Mega 9 for video editing and Alien Transit 27 for photo/graphics), exhibition and collaboration spaces totaling nearly 200 square meters, and technical support staff.

The technical footprint centers on physical production infrastructure rather than software platforms. Core equipment includes a Mimaki CJV150 large-format solvent printer (up to 1440 dpi, integrated cutting for decals), photography and video rental gear (Sony a7c, lighting kit, Zoom H5), and specialized craft tools across workshops. A Wix-based website functions as the primary booking and reservation system for both members and non-members. Distribution is direct: customers reserve spaces, register for workshops, and purchase merchandise through the website, with on-site service delivery at the single Trois-Rivières facility.

The revenue model blends community and earned income streams. Pricing is unit-based across workshops ($60 CAD for STOPMO, $70 CAD for digital fabrication, $165-$250 CAD for manual shaping, $285 CAD for welding initiation, $300 CAD for glass practice circle), hourly and duration-based equipment and space rentals, recurring membership fees providing discounted rates, and merchandise sales ($3-$20 CAD). The organization also accepts donations, reflecting its non-profit status. Marketing is primarily organic: Facebook, Instagram, newsletter, and the website, supplemented by program announcements, calls for projects (appels de dossier), and community events such as conferences, roundtables, and vernissages. No external ownership, venture capital, or institutional investors are evident; the organization is governed by its member artists through general assemblies.

Name

Atelier Silex

Legal name

Atelier Silex

Website

https://ateliersilex.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Atelier Silex is a non-profit, self-managed artist center in Trois-Rivières, Québec, founded in 1983, providing multidisciplinary production workshops, exhibition space, and technical support to 40+ member artists and the broader Quebec visual arts community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Workshop and Training Courses: Fees charged for specialized workshops and training programs in areas such as welding, ceramics, glasswork, digital fabrication, and video editing. Courses include topics like 'Initiation à la soudure' (285 CAD), 'Fabrication numérique' (70 CAD), and 'Cercle de pratique en verre' (300 CAD).
2. Equipment and Space Rental: Hourly, half-day, full-day, and long-duration rentals of specialized workspaces including ceramic studios, wood shops, metal workshops, glass studios, photography/video studios (Alien Mega 9, Alien Transit 27), exhibition spaces, and common areas. Members receive discounted rates.
3. Merchandise and Art Products: Sale of branded merchandise including hand-screenprinted T-shirts (20 CAD), natural soaps shaped in the Silex logo (15 CAD for set of 3), and temporary tattoos (3 CAD).
4. Membership Fees: Artist members pay fees for access to facilities, with member rates providing discounts on workshops and services (e.g., manual shaping workshop: 250 CAD standard, 165 CAD for members).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Atelier Silex is a non-profit, self-managed artist-run center founded in 1983 in Trois-Rivières, Québec. It provides multidisciplinary production facilities (wood, metal, ceramics, glass, stone, digital fabrication, photo/video), nearly 200 square meters of exhibition and research space, an in-house large-format printing service (Mimaki CJV150), equipment rentals, and educational programming including courses, residencies, and calls for projects. Members receive discounted access to workshops and services.

Product overview

Atelier Silex is an artist-run center founded in 1983 that provides production support services for contemporary art. The organization operates a multi-disciplinary facility with specialized production workshops (woodworking, ceramics, metal, stone, glass), a digital production studio (Studio Cobalt with Alien Mega 9 for video editing and Alien Transit 27 for photo/graphics), exhibition and event spaces (Salle d'exposition, Salle multifonctionnelle, Salle ventilée, Salle Commune, Garage), collaborative spaces, and a printing service using a Mimaki CJV150 printer. The center also offers equipment rentals, educational courses and workshops, and merchandise through its boutique. Atelier Silex supports over 40 member artists across 7 specialized workshops totaling nearly 200 square meters of space.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Woodworking Workshop (Atelier de bois) Spacious woodworking facility equipped with saws, sanders, planers, and work tables for wood working and assembly, available to artists by reservation.
• Ceramics Workshop (Atelier de céramique) Workshop for working with clay in all its forms, equipped with pottery wheels, kilns, slab rollers, and glazing supplies, with technical supervision of firings.
• Metal Workshop (Atelier de métal) Workshop for transforming and assembling various metals, equipped with welding equipment, grinders, saws, and two welding tables.
• Stone Workshop (Atelier de pierre) Dedicated stone carving workshop with dust isolation and ventilation system, equipped with stone saws, grinders, and dust collectors.
• Glass Workshop (Atelier de verre) Glass work workshop covering thermoforming, paste glass, lost wax, torch work, and cold glass, equipped with kilns, lapidary equipment, and sandblasting tools.
• Studio Cobalt (Digital Production Studio) Digital production studio offering video editing and photo/graphics workstations (Alien Mega 9 for video, Alien Transit 27 for photo/graphics), available for booking by artists.
• Large-Format Printing Service (Impression) Large-format printing service using a Mimaki CJV150 printer capable of solvent printing up to 1440 dpi and 30 inches wide, with integrated cutting for decals and stickers; supports archival photo papers, vinyls, cardstock, and backlit materials.
• Exhibition Hall (Salle d'exposition) Versatile exhibition space of approximately 200 square meters with 6 adjustable lighting tracks, reinforced walls, and a freight elevator, available for artistic diffusion and exhibitions.
• Equipment Rental (Location d'équipement) Rental service for photography and video equipment including Sony a7c camera, lighting kit, Zoom H5 audio recorder, shotgun microphone, and video projector, available in 1-hour, 4-hour, 8-hour, and longer recurring durations.
• Courses and Training (Cours et formations) Educational programming including welding initiation (285 CAD), ceramics manual shaping (250 CAD / 165 CAD members), digital fabrication (70 CAD), STOPMO animation (60 CAD), digital cutting initiation (65 CAD), realistic modeling (275 CAD), glass practice circle (300 CAD), Adobe Premiere Pro training, video mapping, and other specialized workshops.
• Artist Membership Recurring artist membership providing access to facilities and discounted rates on workshops, courses, and rentals (e.g., 250 CAD non-member → 165 CAD member for manual shaping workshop); 40+ active members.
• Silex T-shirt (T-shirt Silex) Hand-screenprinted 100% cotton T-shirt branded with the Silex logo, priced at $20 CAD and sold through the online boutique.
• Silex Soaps (Savons Silex) Set of three natural handmade soaps in the shape of the Silex logo — unscented, strawberry, or lavender — by Pascal Gagnon, sold at $15 CAD per set through the boutique.
• Silex Temporary Tattoo (Tatouage temporaire) Temporary tattoo bearing the Silex logo, measuring 2cm x 3cm, sold at $3 CAD through the boutique.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• VIVO Media Arts Centre: Vancouver-based non-profit media arts center providing production facilities, workshops, and equipment rentals for artists working in video, audio, and digital media. Comparable in providing multidisciplinary artist production support and rental-based revenue, though larger and more media-focused.
• Artscape: Toronto-based non-profit that develops and manages affordable creative space and artist workspaces. Comparable mission of providing physical infrastructure and rental services to artists, though operates at a much larger scale across multiple sites.

Direct peers

• Centre des arts actuels Skol: Montreal-based artist-run center that supports independent visual artists through residencies, exhibitions, and production assistance. Directly comparable as a Quebec centre d'artistes autogéré with a similar self-managed governance model and member-driven programming.
• Galerie B-312: Montreal artist-run center focused on contemporary art dissemination and production support. Closely comparable mission and operational structure to Atelier Silex, sharing the Quebec artist-run-center network and grant funding ecosystem.
• Dare-Dare Centre de diffusion d'artistes: Montreal-based artist-run center supporting experimental and contemporary art practices through residencies and public interventions. Comparable as a Quebec centre d'artistes autogéré with member governance and similar programming focus.
• Eastern Bloc: Montreal artist-run center dedicated to supporting emerging practices in digital and electronic arts and new media. Comparable in offering artist residencies, production support, and specialized equipment access within the Quebec artist-run network.
• SBC Gallery of Contemporary Art: Montreal-based artist-run center with a focus on contemporary art production, residencies, and exhibition programming. Comparable organizational structure and service mix to Atelier Silex within the same regional funding and community ecosystem.

Regional players

• Galerie d'art Louise-et-Reuben-Cohen: University of Moncton-based art gallery offering contemporary art exhibitions and supporting emerging artists in the Atlantic Canada region. Comparable as a community-embedded artist support organization, though gallery-focused rather than production-focused.
• Fab Lab Québec: Quebec City-based Fab Lab providing digital fabrication equipment (3D printers, laser cutters, CNC) and training to the public and artists. Comparable in providing shared access to specialized production equipment and workshops within the broader Quebec creative ecosystem, with a more technology-focused offering.

Emerging players

• MakerLabs: Vancouver-based non-profit maker-space providing shared access to woodworking, metalworking, and digital fabrication tools, plus workshops and memberships. Comparable in offering multidisciplinary workshops and member-based equipment access, with stronger commercial orientation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/lateliersilex
• Instagraminstagram.com/ateliersilex
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ateliersilex

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Atelier Silex