The Government of Canada announced on Tuesday an investment of $2.6 million in the cultural organization Montréal en Histoires, which has surprises in store for Montrealers this spring.
Posted at 3:30 p.m.
Projections combining history, art and technology that illuminate certain building facades in downtown Montreal, thanks to the Cité-Mémoire exhibition by the cultural organization Montréal en Histoires, will gain momentum. The Minister of Sports and head of Canada Economic Development (CED), Pascale St-Onge, announced Tuesday a non-repayable contribution of $2.6 million to the cultural organization.
“In terms of economic benefits for Montreal, it’s super interesting,” noted the MNA for Brome-Missisquoi, in an interview with The Press.
Montréal en Histoires is a non-profit organization that combines new technologies with heritage interests to rediscover the history of Montréal. The Cité-Mémoire course is “the largest video projection course in the world”, according to the press release of the ministerial announcement.
Montréal en Histoires also offers a free mobile application to follow the routes, with augmented reality, geolocation and points of interest.
Pandemic and new projects
Although announced on Tuesday, the funding was received by Montréal en Histoires nearly a year and a half ago, in the midst of a pandemic. “It saved jobs, it meant that we continued to live and work on our projects,” says Martin Laviolette, general manager of the organization.
Several new programs, funded in part through the CED envelope, are in the process of being finalized, adds Martin Laviolette. They will be unveiled in the spring or during the summer.
For example, a new interactive board will see the light of day in the east end of Montreal, at Pointe-aux-Trembles, telling the story of the tip of the island. The river shuttle linking the Old Port to the east of the city via the St. Lawrence River will allow visitors to navigate between the two sites.
A new route will also be deployed on Sainte-Catherine Street, in the heart of downtown, from Cabot Square to the Jacques-Cartier Bridge. “It’s a course where you have a voice that accompanies you, with 45 augmented reality interventions. [Ça fait partie des] four to five major projects that will be announced in the coming weeks for the revitalization of the downtown area,” underlines Martin Laviolette.
Another major program: a tour of major cultural institutions, including the Orchester symphonique de Montréal. “It’s major, enthuses Martin Laviolette. We have 18 partners in this project, with augmented realities signed by Michel Lemieux, all of this is linked to a wall of projections in the Quartier des spectacles. This new exhibition will be unveiled no later than Labor Day, adds Mr. Laviolette.
“Personally, I am a lover of culture and, of course, of new technologies,” says Pascale St-Onge. It’s really a connection between the two. I encourage Montrealers to come check it out and download the app, because it’s truly one of a kind. »
In 2021, other Montreal organizations, such as Montreal International, the Greater Montreal Convention and Tourism Bureau, and Montreal Pride have received grants from CED.