Société des arts technologiques

Société des arts technologiques is an arts and performance venue at 1201 Boulevard Saint-Laurent in Montreal’s Red Light district. Founded in 1996 to support digital culture, the organisation brings together artistic work, research and training. It moved into a former bank on Sainte-Catherine Street West in 2000, then relocated in 2003 to a renovated former public market building.

The building combines an immersive theatre, research facilities, artist residencies, training spaces, a concert hall, café and restaurant. Its ground-floor Espace SAT opens directly onto Saint-Laurent Boulevard and can accommodate between 150 and 990 people. The modular room has a stage, lighting and projection facilities, alongside a sound system.

The Satosphere, which opened in October 2011, is an 18-metre-wide dome with a spherical projection screen and room for up to 350 spectators. Eight projectors serve the space, whose height ranges from 11.5 to 13 metres. Outside promoters such as (Avec) Courage! and FEMINAE NOX have run events there. Artists who have played there include Nia Archives, HiTech, Lather Rinse Repeat and OJPB.

The Satosphere’s sound system has 157 speakers and four subwoofers and can carry up to 31 audio channels. The SAT’s artist residency program has resulted in more than 180 immersive works.