History

On September 21, 2023, Place des Arts will celebrate its 60^th anniversary. Born of Montrealers' desire to endow themselves with a concert hall that lived up to the city's expectations, the Place des Arts was conceived in 1955 by a group of influential businessmen at the direction of Montreal's then mayor, Jean Drapeau. In 1958, the Centre Sir-George-Étienne-Cartier Corporation was officially created and it was through this entity that the project was taken to completion. Construction began on February 11, 1961.