Musée d'art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul

What Musée d'art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul does

The Musée d'art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul (MACBSP) is a registered non-profit contemporary art museum located in Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1992 on the site of the former Laurentien cinema and designed by architect Pierre Thibault, the museum received official museum status from the Quebec government on June 13, 2008, becoming the only museum in eastern Quebec dedicated entirely to contemporary art. The institution preserves and exhibits a permanent collection of more than 3,800 works, including pieces by major Quebec artists and over 350 works produced through the International Contemporary Art Symposium (43rd edition in 2025) featuring artists from over 20 countries. The museum operates two pavilons — the main Pavillon Françoise-Labbé and the Pavillon Jacques Saint-Gelais Tremblay (acquired in 2008, named in 2018) — and serves over 15,000 annual visitors.

The business model is a hybrid of earned revenue and public-sector support typical of Canadian cultural non-profits. Earned revenue streams include unit-priced admissions ($8-$15 CAD depending on category), annual memberships at $40/year, venue rentals for corporate and private events, museum boutique sales, and donations processed via the affiliated Fondation du Musée d'art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul (Françoise-Labbé). The museum also generates content via temporary rotating exhibitions, a permanent collection exhibition titled "Observer," educational services aligned with Quebec Ministry of Education curriculum requirements, free summer guided tours, and community events (vernissages, 5 à 7 créatif workshops, Placette Party, and the annual fundraising cocktail). The underlying technology stack is modest and non-proprietary: Tuxedo by Groupe iCible for online ticketing and donations, Mailchimp for newsletters, Google Analytics and Meta for digital marketing analytics, and Rapide.net for web hosting.

Customers span multiple micro-segments with no anchor concentration: general public and cultural tourists, school groups from all Quebec educational levels, individual members and patrons, corporate and private event clients, art donors and collectors, and reciprocal visitors from partner museums (MNBAQ, Musée de la Civilisation). Distribution combines physical walk-in visits, online ticketing, membership subscriptions, and venue rental inquiries. The organization is governed by a 9-member Board of Directors and currently led by Gabrielle Bouchard (Directrice générale et conservatrice en chef), with financial and promotional support from the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, MRC de Charlevoix, Tourisme Charlevoix, Kéroul, Living Lab Charlevoix, Festival international du film sur l'art (FIFA), and the Musée des beaux-arts du Canada.

Name

Musée d'art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul

Legal name

Musée d'art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul

Website

https://macbsp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Musée d'art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul is a registered non-profit contemporary art museum in Quebec, Canada, and the only such institution in eastern Quebec. It preserves 3,800+ works, hosts rotating exhibitions and the annual International Contemporary Art Symposium, and serves cultural tourists, school groups, members, and event clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contemporary Art Museum

NAICS

Museums (712110), Museums (71211), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

akta.pro primary industry

Art Museums (THAJADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH), Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA), Cultural Centers & Multidisciplinary Arts Institutions (THAJADAJ)

Keywords

• Contemporary art museum
• Art exhibitions
• Art education programs
• Cultural institution
• Art symposium

Headquarters

HQ city

Baie-saint-paul

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Admission Fees: Visitors pay admission fees ranging from $8-$15+tax depending on category (regular, student, senior, Charlevoix resident). Children 0-14, members, and companions of mobility-reduced visitors enter free.
2. Museum Memberships: Annual memberships sold at $40 + taxes providing free entry to all exhibitions and activities, free access to the Symposium, event invitations, voting rights at AGM, newsletter subscription, 10% discount at the boutique, and 50% discount at MNBAQ and Musée de la Civilisation.
3. Donations and Fundraising: The museum accepts donations through its website (tuxedobillet.com/fundraising) and holds an annual fundraising cocktail event. The Fondation du Musée d'art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul (Françoise-Labbé) supports the museum through donations and fundraising activities.
4. Venue Rental: The museum offers room rentals for private and corporate events in its main building and the Jacques St-Gelais Tremblay Pavilion, with multifunctional spaces available.
5. Museum Boutique Sales: The museum operates a boutique selling art-related products and souvenirs. Part-time retail staff are employed for boutique and reception operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Musée d'art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul is a non-profit contemporary art museum that presents, conserves, and promotes contemporary art through temporary and permanent exhibitions, the annual International Contemporary Art Symposium, and educational programming for schools. It also offers ancillary services including guided tours, venue rental for private and corporate events, an annual membership program, and a museum boutique. The institution holds and continues to build a permanent collection of more than 3,800 works of art and artifacts representing artists from Quebec and over 20 countries.

Product overview

The Musée d'art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul operates as a single-site art museum offering a unified portfolio of products and services centered on contemporary art. The core offering consists of rotating temporary exhibitions, a permanent collection exhibition titled 'Observer', and the annual Symposium International d'Art Contemporain. Supporting services include educational programs, room rentals for events, guided tours, museum membership, and a boutique. The museum also manages art donations and its permanent collection of over 3,800 works.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Symposium international d'art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul: Annual international contemporary art symposium held in August, bringing together artists from Quebec and around the world for live creation.
• Fondation du MACBSP (Françoise-Labbé)

Products and services

• Temporary Exhibitions Rotating exhibitions of contemporary art featuring established and emerging artists from Quebec and around the world, presented throughout the year in the museum's main gallery spaces.
• Permanent Collection Exhibition (Observer) Ongoing exhibition showcasing the museum's permanent collection of over 3,800 works of art and artifacts, featuring historical and contemporary pieces with an immersive multimedia experience.
• International Contemporary Art Symposium of Baie-Saint-Paul Annual international contemporary art event held every August featuring live creation by artists from Quebec and around the world, generating the museum's collection of more than 350 large-format works.
• Venue and Room Rental Event venue rental services in the museum's main building and the multifunctional spaces of the Pavillon Jacques St-Gelais Tremblay for private and corporate events.
• Educational Services (Hydro-Québec program) Pedagogical visits and educational programs designed for school groups of all levels, aligned with Quebec Ministry of Education curriculum requirements, with flexible durations and customizable workshops.
• Guided Tours Free guided tours of exhibitions led by museum guides during the summer season, lasting approximately 45 minutes.
• Museum Membership Annual membership program at $40 + taxes providing free admission to all exhibitions and activities, free access to the International Contemporary Art Symposium, event invitations, voting rights at AGM, 10% boutique discount, and reduced rates at partner museums (MNBAQ, Musée de la civilisation).
• Museum Boutique On-site museum gift shop selling art-related products, catalogs, and souvenirs to visitors.
• Art Donations and Collection Management Program accepting donations of artworks to develop the museum's permanent collection; the museum issues charitable donation receipts for accepted works as a registered charity.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15,000+ annual visitors
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fondation du Musée d'art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul (Françoise-Labbé)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Internal foundation created in 2009 to ensure the museum's longevity. Promotes and supports the museum's work by developing collections, funding exhibitions, and supporting educational accessibility programs.
• Groupe iCible (Tuxedo)coreTechnology or IntegrationProvides the museum's online ticketing system (Tuxedo). Visitors purchase tickets, memberships, and make donations through this platform. The system handles transactional data including customer names, emails, postal addresses, phone numbers, and payment information.
• Living Lab CharlevoixminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on health and arts community projects, including the UR360 performance project with Les 7 Doigts de la Main and the Centre de Recherche et d'Innovation en Transfert des Arts du Cirque.
• Tourisme CharlevoixminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism organization promoting the museum as a cultural destination. Features museum on Charlevoix tourism website alongside accommodations, restaurants, and activities.
• MRC de CharlevoixminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMunicipalités régionales de comté providing financial and promotional support for exhibitions and symposium activities.
• KéroulminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerQuebec organization working to make tourism and culture accessible to people with physical disabilities. The museum meets their accessibility requirements.
• Musée des beaux-arts du CanadaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational gallery that organized traveling exhibitions featured at the MACBSP, including the Yousuf Karsh and Edward Steichen portrait photography exhibition.
• Festival international du film sur l'art (FIFA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presents film screenings and documentary events at the museum, such as the Gabor film screening.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec (MNBAQ): The provincial art museum of Quebec, located in Quebec City. Directly comparable as a major non-profit art museum offering exhibitions, education, memberships and venue rental; MNBAQ is also an existing MACBSP partner offering reciprocal member discounts at MNBAQ.
• Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal: Quebec's flagship contemporary art museum, located in Montreal. Directly comparable as both institutions focus exclusively on contemporary art exhibitions, education, and curatorial programming for Quebec audiences, and operate as non-profit cultural institutions with similar revenue models (admissions, memberships, donations, government funding).
• Musée d'art de Joliette: A regional Quebec art museum offering permanent collections, temporary exhibitions, and educational services. Comparable as a mid-size Quebec non-profit art museum with a similar operating model, target audience, and reliance on public funding.
• Musée de la civilisation: A major Quebec City-based cultural institution offering rotating exhibitions, education programming, and venue rentals. Directly comparable in programming scope and revenue model; also an existing MACBSP partner offering reciprocal member pricing.

Broad incumbents

• National Gallery of Canada: Canada's national art museum, recently partnered with MACBSP via traveling exhibitions such as Yousuf Karsh and Edward Steichen portraits. Comparable as an exhibiting and educational institution, though vastly larger in scope, budget, and geographic reach.
• Art Gallery of Ontario: One of Canada's largest art museums with broad historical and contemporary collections, exhibitions, and educational programming. Comparable in offering rotation exhibitions and education programs, but operates at a much larger scale and broader mandate than MACBSP.

Regional players

• Musée des beaux-arts de Sherbrooke: A regional art museum in the Eastern Townships of Quebec focused on fine art exhibitions and educational programming. Comparable in scale, mandate, and non-profit operating model to MACBSP, though operating in a different Quebec region.
• Musée régional de Rimouski: A regional Quebec museum in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region offering art exhibitions and cultural programming. Comparable as a non-profit regional museum with similar reliance on provincial funding, donations, and admissions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/museedartcontemporainbsp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/macbsp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Musée d'art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul