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.
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.
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.
Participants must register by May 1, 2015 at 12:00 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 http://mtlunescodesign.com/fr/projet/241?/luminotherapie2015