Five Personalities Honored at the Prix reconnaissance

PRESS RELEASE

Five Personalities Honored at the Quartier des Spectacles Prix reconnaissance 

Montreal, September 15, 2025 — For the third year, the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership is honoring artists, artisans, and professionals whose work is closely tied to the Quartier with its Prix reconnaissance. Three categories of outstanding contributors are celebrated: artists, cultural workers, and historical figures. Geneviève Cadieux, Les 7 doigts de la main, Joseph Nakhlé, Laurent Saulnier, and Antonia Nantel will be honored through an original video projection.

The work “Traces d’audace : cinq portraits hommage”, created by Montreal multidisciplinary artist Elizabeth Laferrière, will be projected daily on the façades of the WILDER Building | Espace danse and the Grande Bibliothèque at nightfall, from September 25 to October 31, 2025.

Five New Honorees

For the 2025 edition of the Prix reconnaissance, audiences will meet the people whose work has shaped the Quartier des Spectacles or continues to inspire its vibrant artistic life. This year’s recipients were chosen by a jury in three categories: artists, cultural professionals, and historical figures. The jury brought together Valérie Beaulieu (Ville de Montréal), Annabelle Laliberté (MEM), Anne Echapasse (McCord Museum), Simon Gamache (Board of the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership), Gregory Kunz (Grande Bibliothèque), and Cecilia Raminez (NFB).

Artists:

• Geneviève Cadieux, artist and photographer
• Les 7 doigts de la main, a leading artistic collective at the forefront of the contemporary circus arts revival

Cultural Professionals:

• Joseph Nakhlé, founder, artistic and general director of the Festival du Monde Arabe de Montréal
• Laurent Saulnier, influential programmer for Montréal en Lumière, Francos de Montréal, and the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal

Historical Figure:

• Antonia Nantel, founding member of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal

Honoring the People Who Shape the Quartier des Spectacles

Launched in 2023 to mark the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership’s 20th anniversary, the Prix reconnaissance takes the form of a signature architectural video projection, paying tribute to the individuals who have shaped the Quartier. Each year, the Partnership invites its collaborators to submit nominations, and a jury of respected cultural leaders selects honorees across multiple categories. Explore the inspiring figures who were celebrated during the award’s first two editions.

About the Quartier des Spectacles and the Partnership

The Quartier des Spectacles is the cultural heart of Montreal, boasting North America’s largest and most diverse concentration of cultural amenities. The Quartier’s 1 km² of urban space delights audiences year round thanks to nearly 80 performance venues and creative spaces and 50 annual festivals. The district also showcases innovative urban installations and cutting edge digital art and lighting design. The Quartier des Spectacles positions Montreal as an international leader in urban animation, making it a prime destination for culture and tourism. 

The Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, founded in 2003, is a non-profit organization with more than 85 members active in the district. It is responsible for animating the Quartier des Spectacles by programming cultural activities, managing and animating public spaces, providing distinctive illumination and promoting the Quartier as a must-visit cultural destination. The Partnership benefits from the support of the Ville de Montréal.
 

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MEDIA CONTACT

Mélanie Mingotaud
Communications Mingotwo
melanie@mingo2.ca
514 582-5272

SOURCE

Marie Lamoureux
Quartier des Spectacles Partnership
marie.lamoureux@quartierdesspectacles.com
514 923-6772