Dominique Fontaine occupies an essential place in the contemporary art landscape, in Canada and internationally. A curator, researcher, and arts administrator, she has devoted her career to creating spaces where artists, ideas, and audiences can meet, engage in dialogue, and transform one another. Her work, guided by a deeply humanist vision, brings to light the narratives, aesthetics, and experiences that enrich our societies.
Driven by an unwavering conviction in art's role in understanding the world, Dominique Fontaine has developed a curatorial practice distinguished by its sensitivity, rigor, and commitment to a plurality of voices. Her particular attention to Black visuality and to the often-marginalized histories of art in Canada helps renew perspectives and open essential pathways within the field of visual arts.
She holds a Master's degree in Museology from the Université de Montréal, as well as diplomas in Arts Administration and Visual Arts from the University of Ottawa. She also pursued specialized training in exhibition curating at De Appel Arts Centre in Amsterdam, renowned for its experimental approach to curatorial practice. This combination of expertise informs a curatorial vision rooted in research, listening, and innovation.
Her projects, from the Toronto Biennial to the Dak'Art and Thessaloniki Biennials, as well as major exhibitions such as Here We Are Here: Black Canadian Contemporary Art and Imaginaires souverains, demonstrate a rare ability to weave powerful narratives that are rooted in history while remaining firmly forward-looking. She is also co-editor and co-author of the book Making History: Visual Arts and Blackness in Canada (2023), now an essential resource in the field of Black arts and diaspora studies.
Dominique Fontaine plays an active role within several international organizations, including the Association of Art Museum Curators (AAMC), the International Association of Curators of Contemporary Art (IKT), and the International Association of Art Critics (AICA-Canada). Her rigor and expertise have led her to serve on major juries, including that of the French Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale, the 2021 Sobey Art Award, and the 2024 Governor General's Awards in Visual and Media Arts.
Her influence extends well beyond the realm of exhibitions. She has devoted more than fifteen years of her career to the Canada Arts Presentation Fund at Canadian Heritage, where she now holds the position of Senior Program Analyst in Digital Citizenship. Through her ongoing commitment, she helps strengthen cultural ecosystems and supports initiatives that shape the country's artistic life.
She also shares her knowledge and experience with the university community. She has been named Scholar-in-Residence at Concordia University for 2025–2026, where she mentors the next generation of curators and researchers. She has also taught at UQAM, sharing her expertise in curatorial practice as a field of research and practice. Her pedagogical approach, grounded in sharing, listening, and critical reflection, inspires and mobilizes others.
In 2021, the Round Table on Black History Month and the City of Montreal recognized her exceptional contribution by naming her a Black History Month Laureate. This distinction reflects the profound and lasting impact of her work, which continues to inspire, bring people together, and transform.