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THE URBAN DIGITAL LABORATORY IN THE QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES ENTERS A NEW DEVELOPMENT PHASE

Press release - For Immediate Release

Montreal, May 22, 2018 – As part of the L’EFFET QUÉBEC event, a showcase for creative industries, taking place tonight at the Society for Arts and Technology (SAT), the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership is pleased to announce the completion of the latest phase of the Urban Digital Laboratory (UDL), an incubator and showcase for digital cultural experiences for public space.

The UDL allows creators, researchers and entrepreneurs in the field of digital creativity to use the Quartier des Spectacles’ public technology infrastructure, administered by the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership. Among other things, the project is aimed at creating prototypes for public digital cultural experiences by implementing every element in the production chain, from incubation to local, national and international release. The UDL’s new development phase will strengthen Montreal’s economic competitiveness in this field and enrich the urban experience for all residents.

For the UDL deployment, the Secrétariat à la région métropolitaine of Quebec’s Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l’Occupation du territoire granted financial support of $175,000 from the Fonds d’initiative et de rayonnement de la métropole (FIRM).

QUOTES

“Digital creativity is a strategic economic sector that helps the city and province differentiate themselves. The government of Quebec is proud to support this initiative, which has the potential to nurture the emergence of new talents and the development of innovative products,” said Martin Coiteux, Quebec’s minister of Municipal Affairs and Land Occupancy, minister of Public Security, and minister responsible for the Montreal region.

“The Urban Digital Laboratory has been built up over the last decade, in collaboration with the Ville de Montréal and a variety of industry and culture partners. The support of the Quebec government has enabled the launch of a new development phase that will allow the creation of new experiences that transform people’s experience of the city, whether through interactive installations or the improvement of public services,” said Jacques Primeau, chair of the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership’s board of directors.

UN INCUBATEUR ET UNE VITRINE D’EXPÉRIENCES CULTURELLES DANS L’ESPACE PUBLIC

Over the course of a three-year cycle, the UDL development plan includes six major elements:

an incubator for projects and companies involving a variety of partners
openings for public-art research and creation residencies
a training and mentorship program
group brainstorming and experimentation events
a showcase for prototypes: an annual public event, held in the spring
export and market development activities

The UDL project will also make it possible to use the assets and technological capabilities of the Laboratory for the development of digital public services related to the management of urban space, such as crowd-counting and audio modelling. The Urban Digital Laboratory in the Quartier des Spectacles will be, more than ever, a tool to help Montrealers make more effective use of public space, turning Montreal into a smart city.

BOLD PROJECTS LEADING TO THE URBAN SPACES OF TOMORROW

The UDL is intended as a springboard for new creative practices for public spaces. Working in collaboration with different people and organizations involved in digital creativity, the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership leads projects and forms partnerships involving fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, video games, video mapping, and even tourism and marketing research.

Recent UDL projects completed or in progress include:

the data visualization challenge held during the I.A.rt. Colloquium: artificial intelligence and data serving creativity for public space
the international interactive architectural mapping competition held in collaboration with MAPP_MTL, MUTEK and MUTEK_IMG
The Compassion Machine, an interactive installation presented as part of the KM³ public art walk, co-produced by the National Film Board of Canada and the Partnership
the first international co-production for an urban interactive installation with Quays Culture (Manchester) and the Quartier des Spectacles

ABOUT THE URBAN DIGITAL LABORATORY

The Urban Digital Laboratory (UDL) is the world’s only public technology infrastructure of its kind. It is deployed throughout the Quartier des Spectacles (1 km2), in the heart of downtown Montreal. The infrastructure comprises a high-bandwidth fibre optic network connecting several public spaces, architectural projection sites and a variety of specialized equipment. The UDL is dedicated to R&D, experimentation, creation and exhibition, offering digital creators an exceptional development and promotion platform and giving the city a uniquely dynamic profile.

ABOUT THE QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES PARTNERSHIP

The Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, founded in 2003, is a non-profit organization with more than 70 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 is supported by the Ville de Montréal.

For more information, visit quartierdesspectacles.com

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