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LUMINOTHÉRAPIE COMPETITION: CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR WORKS TO ENHANCE AND ANIMATE PUBLIC SPACES IN MONTREAL’S QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES


Press release - For immediate distribution


Montreal, March 23, 2015 – The call for proposals is officially open for the 2015-16 edition of Luminothérapie, Quebec’s largest competition for temporary works. The purpose of the multidisciplinary competition is to present a unique winter experience in the Quartier des Spectacles and to stimulate creativity in the design of works for public spaces. This year, a single call for proposals has been issued for both the creation of a primary participatory work for the Place des Festivals and architectural video projections for nine building façades in the Quartier. In previous years, the competition was split into two sections, one for the Place des Festivals and one for the video projections. The merger of the two components is intended to lead to a unified concept for the Quartier.

Creators from all backgrounds are invited to propose an original project for presentation in the Quartier des Spectacles for the 6th edition of Luminothérapie, which will run from December 10, 2015 to January 31, 2016. The registration deadline is May 1, 2015. The free competition is Canada-wide and open to all teams whose lead designer is based in Canada.


THE CONCEPT

Proposed works must be inspired by winter and be site-specific.

The work for the Place des Festivals must focus on light and sound, give visitors a daytime and nighttime experience, be meaningful and encourage people of all ages to participate.

The video projections for the nine building façades in the Quartier must be accompanied by an original soundtrack and complement the primary work in the Place des Festivals by enhancing its narrative themes.

The video projections will be shown at the Quartier’s permanent projection sites for digital art: the Grande Bibliothèque (Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec); the UQAM bell tower; the Centre de design at UQAM; Cégep du Vieux Montréal; Théâtre Maisonneuve; UQAM’s President Kennedy building; Hôtel Zéro1 on Place de la Paix; the wall outside Saint-Laurent metro station; and a new projection site, Place Dupuis, adjacent to Place Émilie-Gamelin.

THE COMPETITION

Organized in collaboration with the Ville de Montréal’s Bureau du design, the competition has two phases: in the first, proposals will be anonymized for initial review in order to encourage impartiality and to level the playing field for up-and-coming talent; in the second phase, the finalists will give a presentation to the jury.

To promote the emergence of new cultural and artistic practices, the organizers strongly encourage the formation of multidisciplinary teams. The jury will favour projects that combine different perspectives by bringing together design and performing, visual or media arts.

The total production budget is $300,000.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

Participants must register by May 1 at noon Montreal time in order to obtain the documents they will require to prepare their proposals. The registration form, rules and evaluation criteria for the competition can be found at

mtlunescodesign.com/luminotherapie2015


AN INCREASINGLY POPULAR COMPETITION THAT HELPS CREATORS SHINE LOCALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY

Last year’s competition received a total of 55 proposals for both sections – eloquent proof of its attractiveness to creators. The competition gave the public an installation in the Place des Festivals called Prismatica by RAW Design (Toronto) – the first winner from outside Quebec – and the Fascinoscope video projections by Lüz Studio, presented on eight building façades in the Quartier. For more information on past winners, see the press kit.

In recent years, several works created for Luminothérapie have won awards: Trouve Bob by Champagne Club Sandwich won the Grafika grand prix (graphic animation) and a NUMIX (immersive projection), Entre les rangs by KANVA won the award for lighting by both the Illuminating Engineering Society and at the Grands prix du design, and Sphères polaires by Lucion Média won a NUMIX award.

Luminothérapie also reaches audiences outside Quebec. In addition to the significant media coverage generated by the works, some have been presented in other locations. In the coming years, the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership plans to promote this type of mobility. Trouve Bob was presented in Moscow this year and Iceberg by ATOMIC3 and Appareil Architecture was presented in Brussels last year.

ABOUT THE QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES

The Quartier des Spectacles is Montreal’s cultural heart, boasting North America’s most concentrated and diverse group of cultural venues. The district is the year-round host to countless festivals and events, many of which include free outdoor shows and activities. The Quartier also hosts innovative urban installations involving cutting-edge lighting design, immersive environments or interactive digital spaces. The Quartier des Spectacles is an international showcase for new multimedia technology, making Montreal a global leader in the field. For more information, visit quartierdesspectacles.com.

ABOUT MONTRÉAL, UNESCO CITY OF DESIGN

Montreal is part of UNESCO’s international Creative Cities Network in the Cities of Design category. The Network includes 69 cities in 32 countries. It helps creators in member cities share their experiences, while promoting the international exchange of best practices and knowledge.

The Ville de Montréal’s Bureau du design works with the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership on preparing and running this annual competition. Such competitions are among the many commitments taken on by the city and the partners in Action Plan 2007-2017 – Montréal, Cultural Metropolis, which aims to promote excellence in design and architecture while affirming Montreal’s status as a UNESCO City of Design.

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Visuals from previous editions of Luminothérapie are available through our Flickr account. Please include full credits.

Media enquiries: Marie-Joëlle Corneau
mariejoelle.corneau@quartierdesspectacles.com
514 348-9676