We create programs and workshops for youth ages 5 to 17. These activities introduce youth to architectural ideas while encouraging them to question traditional definitions of architecture. With subjects like environmental challenges and social changes, these activities help participants develop critical thinking towards our built environment while also providing tools for youth to build their confidence, develop collaboration skills, and stimulate a passion for learning and questioning.

All our workshops are 90 minutes long (unless otherwise stated) and include an introduction to our exhibitions, in French or English. They have been created with the Quebec Education Program (QEP) in mind. We can welcome up to 30 participants per group.

Each workshop costs $150 per group.

Fees can be waived under some conditions. To know more about the eligibility of your group to our program Diverse Pasts and Near Futures, please write to us at public@cca.qc.ca or call us at +1 514 939 7001 (1360).

For a tour of our building, our exhibitions or our sculpture garden, please contact us at public@cca.qc.ca.

In Low Tide—until 17 November 2024 (Grades 1–3; Secondary I–II)
In relation to our exhibition Into the Island and architectural practice DnA, participants are invited to discover and experience how materials such as shells, clay, and bamboo from the coastal ecosystem of Meizhou Island in China are used in an architectural project. This workshop is available until 17 November 2024. Book this workshop here.

What Makes a Landscape? (All grades, Primary, and Secondary)
Explore the idea and components of a landscape in connection with our exhibition Reading Landscapes. Through observation, drawing, and collaborative work, participants will discover that designed landscapes are the result of a series of activities, not only human, but also animal and plant, forming an ecosystem that influences and transforms it. Book this workshop here.

The ABCs of Architecture (Grades 1–2)
This workshop introduces children to basic architectural concepts of shape, volume, material, space, and occupation. The program stimulates analytical skills, storytelling, collaborative work, and gives children tools to explore basic concepts of geometry. Children experiment with three-dimensional construction and participate in a series of building activities that develop fine motor skills and design thinking. Book this workshop here.

To Live Differently (Grades 3–6)
Starting from stories of the 1973 oil crisis and examples of international architecture projects that use minimal energy, this program introduces concepts of ecological materials and design principles, and challenges children to propose new and environmentally conscious ways of living. This program invites children to collaborate, problem solve, and explore techniques of design and planning. Book this workshop here.

Disco, tomorrow? (Secondary I–V)
Starting from the innovative and radical ideas of 1960s Italian architecture collectives, who imagined new kind of utopias and built discotheques, students will develop creative designs combining strange new uses—first individually through furniture, like a sofa that is also a water well, and then in groups to produce a disco. This can mix a dance floor and a drugstore, a bar and a vegetable farm, or even a DJ booth and a bank. Following our weird rules, they will draw and model a disco from floor to ceiling. Book this workshop here.

Each workshop can be accompanied by a tour. Please contact public@cca.qc.ca for more information or to book your visit.

Reimagining Community Architecture: Series of 10 workshops (Ages 12 to 17)
This workshop empowers youth to reflect on and impact the future of a new community-centred space in Little Burgundy. Rooted in the rich legacy of the Charles H. Este Cultural Centre, formerly the Negro Community Centre (NCC), this free program invites teens to delve into the world of architecture designed for (and by) communities.

Over the course of 4 months, the workshop will provide an opportunity for young people to share their opinions and ideas and to lead a collective reflection on the future of the renewed NCC. Participants will develop their own architectural projects and practice drawing and model-making skills, while learning about history, community-driven design, Afro-futurism, and more. These 120-minute-long workshops will take place from January to May 2025, in collaboration with the NCC and Vanessa Owusu-Piameng, Black Communities Programmer at the CCA. They will be run in English.

Reimagining Community Architecture: On-demand workshop (All ages)
How can youth learn to imagine a new community space through speculative and creative explorations? How can history inform our decisions so that it can better respond to the needs and desires of the neighbourhood’s residents? Using the NCC and Little Burgundy as a case study, this workshop invites children to imagine an active and inclusive community space in their neighbourhood. These 90-minute-long workshops are in collaboration with Vanessa Owusu-Piameng, Black Communities Programmer, CCA.

My Block (Ages 12 to 17)
The goal of this workshop is to debunk erroneous narratives about black communities and to develop more accurate understandings of their realities by listening to teenagers’ perspectives on their own neighbourhood experiences. The activity seeks to promote a greater sensitivity to important experiences derived from community living through mapping, writing, and artistic expression. These 90-minute-long workshops are in collaboration with Vanessa Owusu-Piameng, Black Communities Programmer, CCA.

Free programs under certain conditions. Please contact public@cca.qc.ca for more information.

August 2025 Summer Day Camp: Architecture in Play (Ages 7 to 11)
Upcoming programming—registration in March 2025. Keep an eye on our newsletter and our calendar.

Kids’ Days (during school breaks)
Come play and learn about architecture for a day at the CCA. Programs are offered at the end of the year holidays and spring break. Consult our calendar for more info.

Free Sunday
Every first Sunday of the Month entrance to the galleries is free and we offer free activities for children and adults. Consult our calendar to learn about upcoming activities.

For more information, please write to us at public@cca.qc.ca or call us at +1 514 939 7002 We are also open to collaborating with schools and community organizations for special projects.