MILLE FACETTES: DISCO COMES TO THE VILLAGE THIS SUMMER!

Montreal, July 13, 2022 - The Société de développement commercial (SDC) du Village and the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership are pleased to introduce new signature amenities for the Village: the Mille facettes project invites the public to disco dance outside! Designed by MASSIVart and Sid Lee Architecture, the amenities will be installed this summer as part of the Moments du cœur de l’île project. They will contribute to the lively and dynamic appeal of the Village, Montreal’s Inclusive District.

By the end of July, sixty one-metre mirror balls will be installed on Sainte-Catherine St. East between Saint-Hubert St. and Papineau Ave., creating a massive glittering dancefloor. And, on Sainte-Catherine St. East between Atateken and Wolfe streets, a huge dome called the Disco géodésique will light up the new Place du Village starting in early August.

These temporary amenities are part of a new triennial plan developed collaboratively by all of the partners to energize the area this summer and for the next two years, until the Ville de Montréal begins major work in the Village. The redevelopment of public spaces and Sainte-Catherine St. East will enable the future addition of distinctive permanent facilities to be announced at a later date.

“I am proud of the work done by all the players who, this summer, took action to ensure that the Village would have new signature elements. The projects that have been announced will highlight Sainte-Catherine Street’s iconic character from now until its future redevelopment. Supporting the street’s commercial and touristic vitality, and the quality of life in the district, is a top priority for our administration,” said Robert Beaudry, city councillor for Saint-Jacques.

“We were able to count on the expertise and collaboration of our dedicated partners to realize our vision for the Village with amenities that recognize the neighbourhood’s uniqueness as well as the needs of its communities, merchants, residents and visitors. The new giant disco dome in the heart of the Village is intended as a special gathering place that will host a diverse program, but we also want it to become a place that residents embrace and that everyone enjoys. Whether you’re looking for a place to relax with a good book, eat a takeout meal from a local restaurant or hang out with friends before a night out in the Village, everyone will be able to bring their own splash of disco colour to Sainte-Catherine Street East,” said Gabrielle Rondy, executive director of the Société de développement commercial (SDC) du Village - Village Montréal.

“We are very happy to work with the Société de développement commercial du Village to support the attractiveness and dynamism of the west-centre sector of downtown. Located just outside the Quartier des Spectacles, the Village is part of an up-and-coming area. These new amenities designed by local creators beautifully reflect the neighbourhood’s diversity and give the Village a unique signature. I invite all Montrealers and visitors to enjoy the Mille facettes and related programming to catch disco fever and enjoy some wonderful festive moments!” said Monique Simard, chair of the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership’s board of directors.

The new Sainte-Catherine St. East and Place du Village amenities are made possibly by the financial support of the borough of Ville-Marie. The SDC and the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership thank the advisory committee created specifically for these projects, composed of representatives of the SDC, Village residents and artists.

The Village is a celebration

Day and night, the Village glitters with the thousand facets of the communities that live there! Sainte-Catherine St. East will become an open-air dancefloor under a floating ribbon of mirror balls. As the ribbon ripples, we will continue to celebrate and promote the rights and freedoms won through social struggles.

By day, the mirror balls reflect the sky and natural light, scattering calming dots of light. After dark, the experience is transformed with colourful lights trained on the reflective orbs all along a festive route that extends as far as the eye can see. Bursts of colour are scattered in every direction, a celebration of a neighbourhood as brilliant as the people who comprise it.

The new Place du Village

In the heart of the Village is the new Disco Géodésique, a true citizen space that invites conversation, inclusion and the celebration of human connections. At its centre is an enormous mirror ball with countless colourful iridescent reflective facets that create a “silent disco” effect where perpetual motion immerses visitors in a kaleidoscopic world.

Located on the former site of Galerie blanc, the new social and cultural space will be a major gathering place in the heart of the borough of Ville-Marie. Thanks to the financial support of the Ville de Montréal, Montreal Pride will handle cultural and community programming from the dome’s opening until October 7.

“We are proud to be involved with this project, located in such an iconic Montreal neighbourhood that fully reflects MASSIVart’s inclusive values. Spaces for culture and recreation are cornerstones for driving the positive evolution of communities and cities. They shape and enrich places and contribute to their identity. These amenities will elevate the Village’s communities to their rightful place, and we are eager to see them celebrated day and night in the coming weeks,” said Arthur Gaillard, creative department director and partner at MASSIVart.

“Our studio is privileged to be able to participate in these first installations in a series of actions paying tribute to the diversity and inclusiveness of the Village. Working with an expanded vision of urban planning, we believe that architecture is experienced at different scales, each one as important as the next. From that perspective, our work here celebrates the transitory character of actions that also help enrich the urban fabric. Our hope is that this activation of citizen space will be embraced by the Village’s communities and become flourishing signature spaces that inspire chance encounters and immersive moments,” said Sid Lee Architecture.

“We were thrilled to accept the invitation to animate this new space, far beyond the dates of our festival. Our program represents an unprecedented opportunity to showcase artists and other stakeholders from the 2SLGBTQ+ communities in the heart of the Village. We invite everyone to come meet the artists – some emerging, some established – during events featuring dancing, visual arts, film, literature, poetry, sports, culture and much more,” said Simon Gamache, executive director of Montreal Pride.

ABOUT LES MOMENTS DU CŒUR DE L’ÎLE

The product of a fruitful collaboration between the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, Montréal centre-ville, the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal and the Ville de Montréal, in collaboration with Tourisme Montréal, Les moments du cœur de l’île is downtown Montreal’s collaborative summer project. Bringing together the district’s cultural and economic stakeholders, the initiative encompasses a wide variety of activities presented by each partner. From Atwater to Papineau streets, between Sherbrooke St. and the St. Lawrence River, downtown is the place to go for countless cultural activities thanks to a variety of pedestrian zones, safe public spaces, spontaneous performances and an enhanced cultural offering. From June to the fall, these initiatives invite Montrealers, visitors and tourists to enjoy the best of the island outdoors.

More information: lecoeurdelile.com

ABOUT VILLAGE MONTREAL

The Société de développement commercial (SDC) Village Montréal represents some 255 businesses located on Ste-Catherine Street East between Berri and Cartier and on Atateken Street between René-Lévesque East and Robin.

Village Montreal contributes to the economic transformation and vitality of the Village by promoting diversity, inclusiveness and innovation.

Village Montreal is an internationally recognized 2SLGBTQ+ destination, welcoming more than 1.4 million visitors each year.

More information: villagemontreal.ca

ABOUT THE QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES PARTNERSHIP

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.

Plus d’informations : quartierdesspectacles.com

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MEDIA CONTACTS  

Village Montréal

Gabrielle Rondy
gr@villagemontreal.ca
514 529-1168

Quartier des Spectacles Partnership

Mélanie Mingotaud
melanie@mingo2.ca
514 582-5272