Les Jardins Gamelin: Marking a brilliant first decade

Montreal, May 30, 2024 – The tenth season of Les Jardins Gamelin opens this evening and will continue until September 15. Montrealers and visitors are invited to mark a bountiful decade in this unique and diverse living space in the Quartier des Spectacles. Each summer, Place Émilie-Gamelin is transformed by Les Jardins Gamelin with temporary urban designs and accessible cultural programming, with plenty of space for people to get together and socialize.

“For ten years now, our downtown has been energized by Les Jardins Gamelin during the most pleasant season, offering the public a unique place for gathering and sharing, bringing together culture and nature. Once again this year, the programming presented by the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership is sure to please Montrealers of all ages and backgrounds. I invite the public to come out and enjoy the gardens, and to support our downtown retailers and restaurateurs,” said Valérie Plante, mayor of the Ville de Montréal and of the borough of Ville-Marie.

“On this tenth anniversary, we are particularly proud of our achievements to date, and to see that this design and cultural programming project spearheaded by the Partnership has evolved to become an essential living space with a positive impact on downtown Montreal and Quartier latin every summer. I want to thank the borough of Ville-Marie and the Ville de Montréal for their loyal and essential support, and all the programming and social partners who make the Jardins possible, transforming the space into a dynamic place for getting together and enjoying culture,” said Monique Simard, chair of the board of directors, Quartier des Spectacles Partnership.

10 years of culture, greening and cohabitation

Les Jardins Gamelin have become an urban oasis prized by Montrealers. The space is also a model for the revitalization, design and animation of public spaces. Since the launch of the Jardins Gamelin initiative, more than 2,000 free activities have been presented. They have been attended by tens of thousands of visitors and featured more than 3,000 artists and the participation of more than a hundred partners. Collectively, these activities have made a significant contribution to the vitality of the eastern end of the Quartier des Spectacles and of the Quartier Latin. Thanks to a significant urban agriculture component, operated in collaboration with the Sentier Urbain organization, the Jardins Gamelin initiative contributes to heat island mitigation and a greener, more resilient city. Lastly, with the support of social organizations such as Le sac à dos Brigade verte, the Société de développement social and the Équipe Mobile de Médiation et d’Intervention Sociale (ÉMMIS), Spectre de rue, Cactus, Groupe de recherche et d'intervention psychosocial (GRIP), CIUSS centre-sud and the Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal, this is an inclusive space for all communities, emphasizing the importance of community and sharing.

A vibrant program showcasing new talent and Montreal's artistic diversity

Every week from Tuesday to Sunday, 14 activity series will run from noon into the evening. The programming of the 10^th season will include plenty of up-and-coming local musicians, thanks to the support of the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec. Tuesday evenings, DJs will light up Les Jardins Gamelin with the series Donne-moi du funk ! A member of the DJ Funkés duo, Jp Tremblay, takes the first spin on June 4. La Ligue d’Improvisation Musicale de Montréal (LIMM) returns for another friendly tournament on three Tuesdays: June 25, July 23 and August 27. Sebastien Kostello and Polard B2B Rabetrano will launch a new series, Les Jardins d’Illusion, on June 5. The series is an electronic music and visual illusions festival presented each Wednesday evening in June, August and September. On Wednesdays in July, a series called Du streetdance avec 100Lux will introduce the public to street dance and present exciting battles. Thursdays and Fridays a lunchtime feature, the Midis à la carte concert series, launches with Carla Chanelle (May 31), followed by Simon Boisseau (June 6) and Claudie Létourneau, a 2023 award winner at the Festival international de la chanson de Granby (June 7). Every Thursday evening, the Planète Gamelin series presents unique musical moments presenting different cultures through DJ sets and live performances by artists such as Banitsa – part of the MUZ 2024 cohort (June 6). Friday evenings are centred on the Ce soir on danse ! series, inviting everyone to the dance floor to kick off the weekend, with Empress Cissy Low (May 31 and June 7), Alphonse Bisaillon (May 31) and Virginie B (June 7). Saturday evenings, the long-running Soirées Salsafolie series returns, inviting everyone who loves salsa to dance the night away. Lastly, Sunday afternoon is game time with Randolph and the T’as de beaux jeux series, including board games and a trivia game.

Plenty of special events for your calendar

The season will also include numerous festivals: Festival Accès Asie (June 2), Festival Multiculturel (June 30 and July 1), MONTRÉAL COMPLETEMENT CiRQUE (July 4-14), Haïti en folie (July 24-25), Fierté/Pride (August 1-3 and August 6) and the First Peoples’ Festival (August 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29).

Lastly, throughout the season Les Affûtés will host creative workshops: an introduction to basket weaving (June 8), making a bird feeder (July 13) and making an insect hotel (August 10). Sentier Urbain will also present butterfly releases for the whole family on three Sundays: June 16, July 21 and August 25.

ABOUT THE JARDINS GAMELIN

In the spring of 2015, Place Émilie-Gamelin showed a new face to Quartier des Spectacles residents and visitors with Les Jardins Gamelin, open from May to September. A large, green and inviting civic space in the heart of downtown, Les Jardins Gamelin return every year with an original temporary layout and a versatile set of facilities. The space’s unique, accessible and human-scale programming, which has now completed five seasons, has become a part of daily life for residents and visitors, making Les Jardins Gamelin an inclusive gathering place in true Montreal style. The initiative, led by the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership and thanks to the support of the borough of Ville-Marie and numerous partners, including Sentier Urbain, the Société de développement social and the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SVPM).

More information : jardinsgamelin.com

ABOUT QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES AND THE PARTNERSHIP

The Quartier des Spectacles is Montréal’s cultural heart, boasting North America’s most concentrated and diverse group of cultural venues as well as numerous festivals and events. The Quartier also hosts innovative urban installations involving cutting-edge lighting design and immersive environments. The Quartier des Spectacles has become an international showcase for digital public art.

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.

More information : quartierdesspectacles.com

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MEDIA CONTACT

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


SOURCE

Chloé Goldstein
chloe.goldstein@quartierdesspectacles.com
(514) 812-2193