LUMINO: SHINING BRIGHT AND TRANSFORMING THE QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES FOR 15 YEARS AND COUNTING

Montreal, November 28, 2024 – Created and produced by the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, LUMINO is firmly established as an essential Montreal winter event. For 15 winters, this free and original urban experience has been fulfilling its mission of transforming the downtown core and the Quartier des Spectacles with captivating and luminous installations in public space. From November 28, 2024, to March 9, 2025, the event’s new format features its most extensive program yet, with some 30 works. For the first time, they include several indoor installations. LUMINO invites Montrealers and visitors to enjoy winter to the fullest by exploring luminous creations by local and international artists – works that bring warmth and colour to the cold months. For this 15^th edition, Luminothérapie has completed a three-year transformation process to become LUMINO.

15 YEARS OF CREATIVITY, DIGITAL INNOVATION AND INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS

Since LUMINO’s inception, the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership has produced 25 works for the event, and presented more than 50, showcasing installations and video projections by dozens of creators. Launched by the Partnership in 2009 with the support of the Ville de Montréal’s Bureau du design, for more than a decade LUMINO reigned as Quebec’s biggest competition for temporary art installations. Initially, the event focused on a single work each year; in 2020, the concept evolved to become a large-scale art walk spanning multiple public spaces. LUMINO is a high-profile canvas for local and international artists and creators. With light as the main inspiration, the event provides a unique showcase for numerous talented people, giving them an opportunity to develop expertise in winter-ready urban installations and temporary artworks for public space. Fifteen editions later, LUMINO and its creations still reflect a desire to rouse the public from hibernation by inviting them to enjoy powerful creations with universal appeal while (re)discovering downtown Montreal.

Since 2016, LUMINO’s success has echoed far beyond Montreal. Numerous cultural districts around the world have hosted the installations, which have been presented 252 times in 100 cities in 13 countries on five continents. Quartier des Spectacles international, a non-profit organization affiliated with the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, was founded in 2022 to manage touring operations for the installations. Quartier des Spectacles international, helps position LUMINO and Montreal as global leaders in digital art and design for public space.

The 15^th edition is dedicated to the late Pierre Fortin, one of the chief architects of Luminothérapie and executive director of the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership from 2009 to 2020.

QUOTES

“With its deft combination of creativity and light, LUMINO has beautified the city and charmed Montrealers and visitors for 15 winters. Its temporary installations make the Quartier des Spectacles a unique space for artistic expression and entertainment. Let’s revel in the wonderment inspired by these works and enjoy the many pleasures of winter in the city! I want to thank the artists for their exceptional work, and all the partners for their invaluable contributions,” said the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Member of Parliament for Laurier–Sainte-Marie

“LUMINO is a unique opportunity for Montrealers to enjoy a colourful winter experience in the heart of the city. Over the years, this proudly made-in-Montreal initiative has showcased numerous local talents and helped make the city ever more innovative, dynamic and creative,” said Christine Fréchette, Quebec Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy, Minister Responsible for Regional Economic Development, and Minister Responsible for the Metropolis and the Montreal Region

“Over the last 15 years, Luminothérapie has energized the Quartier des Spectacles and Montreal each winter with a unique, playful and crowd-pleasing series of creative installations. We are delighted that the downtown core will shine brightly once again thanks to LUMINO. Until March 9, the event will present some 30 works including, for the first time, several indoor ones. We invite Montrealers and visitors to discover the joys of our city in winter thanks to LUMINO and the many other attractions found in the Quartier and the downtown core,” said Ericka Alneus, Ville de Montréal Executive Committee member responsible for culture, heritage, gastronomy and nightlife

“From its very first edition, LUMINO, originally known as Luminothérapie, established itself as an exceptional platform for artists of every stripe to create unique participatory experiences. These works transform citizens’ perspective on winter and the urban environment. Over the last 15 years, LUMINO has successfully carved out a singular creative niche, highlighting public space as a prime venue for creativity and the presentation of art installations. Today, this winter project initiated by the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership is well-established as an international standard bearer, thanks to the presentation of these works in numerous cultural districts around the world under the stewardship of Quartier des Spectacles international,” said Monique Simard, chair of the boards of directors, Quartier des Spectacles Partnership and Quartier des Spectacles international

“Tourisme Montréal is proud to support LUMINO, an iconic Montreal experience that strengthens our city’s position as a top winter tourism destination. Winter is more than short days, it’s also long nights – and nothing brightens them like the gleaming art of LUMINO! I thank the LUMINO team for their event’s superb integration with our overall winter tourism strategy,” said Yves Lalumière, CEO of Tourisme Montréal.

ABOUT LUMINO

Now in its 15^th year, the Luminothérapie event, initiated and produced by the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, presents an original, captivating and participatory winter experience featuring light and sound installations in public spaces. For its 15^th edition, Luminothérapie becomes LUMINO, with a new, expanded format extending throughout the downtown core and the Quartier des Spectacles, with an extensive evolving program featuring both indoor and outdoor works. LUMINO continues to encourage creativity in urban installations and digital art. The event, from November to March, is an essential part of winter in Montreal and attracted the attention of cultural districts around the world, which now welcome its installations, created by local and international artists. Touring works are distributed by Quartier des Spectacles international.  

To learn more about LUMINO and see the works presented in previous years, view the LUMINO press kit (in French).

About the Quartier des Spectacles and the Partnership

The Quartier des Spectacles is Montréal’s cultural heart. It offers the greatest concentration and diversity of cultural venues in North America and hosts 52 major musical, dance, theatrical, film, literary and circus events, inviting Montrealers, festivalgoers and tourists alike to experience the excitement of festivals in the public squares and halls of the Quartier des Spectacles. 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

PHOTOS

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MEDIA CONTACT

Communications Mingotwo
Mélanie Mingotaud
melanie@mingo2.ca
(514) 923-6772

SOURCE

Chloé Goldstein
Quartier des Spectacles Partnership
chloe.goldstein@quartierdesspectacles.com
514 812‑2193