An International Hub of Expertise
Over three days, LUMINO PRO presented a dense and strategic program bringing together experts in urbanism, design, culture and winter tourism. Conferences, panels, case studies, hands-on workshops, creative showcases and networking moments shaped the discussions, creating a unique space to collectively reflect on the future of winter cities.
In total, 12 panels, conferences and discussions explored key issues related to activating public spaces in winter: urban design, cultural programming, light art, destination strategies, impact data and placemaking approaches.
Program Highlights
The first day opened with a series of inspiring talks focused on winter as a cultural season, featuring speakers from Finland, Norway, Sweden, the United States and Canada. Presentations explored Scandinavian participatory approaches to designing winter public spaces, Canadian strategies for positioning winter as a driver of civic identity, and the role of iconic winter hubs in enhancing downtown vitality. Notable examples such as Icehotel in Sweden, the initiatives behind Lux Helsinki, and North American winter city approaches illustrated how art, temporary architecture and cultural programming can transform the urban experience during the cold season.
The program also featured several case studies and strategic discussions on building winter destinations. A roundtable dedicated to MontrΓ©al as a winter destination brought together key actors from the cityβs cultural and events ecosystemβincluding the Partenariat du Quartier des spectacles, the City of MontrΓ©al, Igloofest, MontrΓ©al en lumiΓ¨re and Parc Jean-Drapeauβto discuss successes, challenges and lessons learned in showcasing winter in the metropolis.
Among the highlights was the Winter Cities panel, which gathered representatives from Toronto, Helsinki, Edmonton, New York, Niagara, Detroit and MontrΓ©al to discuss the planning, programming and management of winter public spaces. The conversation highlighted strategies used by different cities to encourage outdoor activity, support local businesses and create strong cultural experiences despite challenging weather conditions.
Several workshops and professional sessions helped move from inspiration to action. A workshop organized in collaboration with Rues principales invited participants to rethink winter design strategies for downtown areas and main streets. Other sessions focused on measuring the impact of winter initiatives, using visitor data and audience profiles to demonstrate their economic and social value.
The program also gave the floor to international creative directors and designers, who shared their approaches to building memorable winter artistic destinations. Through examples from festivals, light trails and immersive installations, they showed how creative practices can transform public spaces into engaging and meaningful experiences.
Beyond the conference sessions, LUMINO PRO also encouraged informal exchanges and professional connections, through guided tours of the LUMINO installations, showcases of MontrΓ©al expertise, meetings with experience producers and networking events, helping to strengthen an international community dedicated to reimagining winter cities.
A Professional Showcase and a Strategic Network
Beyond the conferences, LUMINO PRO established itself as a true platform for international collaboration, fostering connections between municipalities, designers, experience producers and winter placemaking experts.
A key moment for Quartier des spectacles international was the MontrΓ©al expertise showcase, organized in partnership with Julie Dalbec. The session brought together 15 producers of winter experiences for targeted meetings with representatives from cities, festivals and presenting organizations.
The goal was to spark new projects, encourage international partnerships and accelerate the exchange of ideas and expertise in the field of winter experiences and art in public space.
By facilitating these strategic exchanges, LUMINO PRO helps structure an international network of winter cities while strengthening the position of the Partenariat du Quartier des spectacles and Quartier des spectacles international as leading partners in this field.
