Content

A first joint undertaking between the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership and Quays Culture in Manchester to produce an interactive digital work

Press release - For Immediate Release

Montreal, August 20, 2018 – The Quartier des spectacles Partnership is pleased to announce that it has formed a major international partnership with Quays Culture, an organization that presents temporary public art works and cultural events in Manchester, United Kingdom. Together, they have co-commissioned a new digital art installation to be exhibited on both sides of the Atlantic.

The two partners have joined forces to pursue their shared artistic goal: providing members of the public with a break in their day-to-day routines through bold, surprising and exciting works that capture spectators’ imaginations. Their partnership will give rise to the creation of an interactive and innovative digital work.


HUB Studio will create Spectrum for Manchester and Montreal

In March 2018, Quays Culture and the Quartier des spectacles Partnership jointly issued a call for proposals to Quebec- and UK-based artists for the creation of an interactive outdoor digital work. Out of the roughly 20 submissions received, the proposal from Montreal multimedias studio HUB Studio was selected.

Spectrum will be presented from December 7 to 16, 2018 at Salford Quays as part of Lightwaves 2018, the UK’s only free digital light festival. And, will then be exhibited in Montréal, at the Quartier des spectacles.

Spectrum: Voice to create sounds and lights

Spectrum is an interactive installation that invites audiences to send a verbal message, illuminating the process of communication throughout time and space. Members of the public will be encouraged to engage with the installation, which will activate a lights and sounds that travel from one side of the installation to the other. Spectrum illuminates how we ourselves communicate, and how we decode data with multiple sensors.

This visualisation of communication will operate from both sides of the installation, making it possible for people to exchange dialogue through the artwork. Once words are spoken, the participant will be able to feel and observe their travelling messages through light movement and soundscape. The freestanding structure will feature a mini speaker in each of the communication-emitting stands, and a microphone at both ends of the structure, to allow interaction. The technical set-up allows for the sounds of words to travel through a system of delays, and as they flow they trigger light displays that travel at the same speed of these sounds, creating a fascinating illuminated display of the movement of sound.

QUOTES

We are very pleased with this first collaboration with Quays Culture, an important exhibitor of public digital installations. This relationship gives us an excellent new peer with which to discuss new and innovative practices in this area. The association will also allow the artists of HUB Studio to see their work presented to audiences on either side of the Atlantic, and Montreal to host artists with an impressive portfolio,” said Pascale Daigle, director of programming for the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership.

We are delighted to be working with our international partner in Montreal to co-commission this new outdoor work. Quays Culture presents art that incorporates the latest digital technologies, and HUB Studio’ creativity is the pinnacle in this area. Together with international partners like the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, we support artists and create free works of art for the public. Salford Quays is a natural setting for experimentation of this kind, which brings the public into contact with the very best in immersive digital art,” noted Lucy Dusgate, Programme Producer with Quays Culture.


ABOUT QUAYS CULTURE

Quays Culture is the team behind the award-winning large-scale artistic works shown at Salford Quays, the home of MediaCityUK. Its arts program delivers exciting exhibits that put the spotlight on technology, creativity and digital innovation. Realized in cooperation with local talent and internationally acclaimed artists, Quays Culture’s art program ranges from the intimate to the monumental, inspiring visitors to see the public space in a whole new light.

Quays Culture was formed by The Quays Partnership and is managed by The Lowry. Quays Culture is a member of Light Up the North, a network of light festivals held in seven cities across the North of England. Quays Culture’s artistic program is made possible by funding from Arts Council England and the Association for Greater Manchester Authorities, as well as support from The Quays, The Lowry, Peel | MediaCityUK and Salford City Council. For more information, visit quaysculture.com.


ABOUT QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES

As the cultural heart of Montreal, the Quartier des spectacles boasts the largest concentration and diversity of cultural venues in North America. All year long, it is home to numerous festivals and events with plenty of free, outdoor offerings. The Quartier’s innovative urban amenities incorporate cutting-edge disciplines like lighting design, immersive environments and interactive digital spaces. Artistic videos are projected onto the facades of several Quartier buildings year-round. As a showcase for new multimedia technologies, the Quartier des spectacles positions Montreal as a world leader in the presentation of digital content in urban settings.

The Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, founded in 2003, is a non-profit organization with more than 70 active members in the district. Its mission is to make the Quartier des Spectacles a vibrant space by holding cultural events, managing and animating public spaces, providing distinctive illumination and promoting the Quartier as a must-visit cultural destination. The Partnership is supported by the Ville de Montréal.

For more information, visit quartierdesspectacles.com.

About HUB STUDIO

HUB is a creative studio based in Montreal and specializing in the design of multimedia experiences at the intersection of art, design and technology. The studio uses creative technology to bring audiences together around meaningful, high-impact moments. The stories HUB brings to life draw on several disciplines, including video projection, interactive technology, light design, texture mapping, video content and immersive environments. With its expert team of artists, designers and professionals, HUB turns ideas into reality using a simple, fluid and unifying process.


- 30 -

VISUAL: we.tl/t-UaYRRNo6CH

MEDIA RELATIONS:

Marie Lamoureux | marie.lamoureux@quartierdesspectacles.com | 514 923-6772