VILLAGE LAVAL is coming to the Montmorency Quadrangle from August 26 to September 19!

Laval, July 28, 2021 — [co]motion, a cultural catalyst, isproud to unveil a new, prettychillhangout spot in town,Village Laval, which will take over the Collège Montmorency parking lot fromAugust 26 to September 19. This venue for meeting, relaxing, and cultural discovery, which can accommodate nearly500 people, will bring togethertwo festivals (Festival Mosaïque Laval andLVL UP, a digital and music lab) andaffordable shows for the general public, all inone location. 

“I’m delighted that we can offer the people of Laval a place that brings people together—a place to gather, share, and live. A Village where different cultural and artistic worlds intersect, all within a relaxed setting that invites you to unwind and feel at ease,” says Juli Meilleur, Executive Director at [co]motion, a cultural catalyst.

Village Laval was born out of a need tobreathe new life into the Montmorency blockand a desire to come together after a year spent alone in our homes. With the goal ofbringing people together,various organizations have joined forces to offer a cultural program spanning nearly a month. 

“We came up with the idea of extending—as a prelude—the platform we’ll be using for LVLUP, a digital and music lab, back in the middle of last summer, when cultural and social life was at a standstill. Our goal was to make the performing arts accessible, breathe new life into a neighborhood through culture, and bring artists and audiences together in a living environment: a village. All while inviting other organizations to participate in this project, because it takes a village to get the party started. That’s the meaning we wanted to give to this project, for this year. And perhaps for the years to come?” explainsSteve Marcoux, programmer and creator of Village Laval.

In addition to the performances on offer, spectators will have access to abeach-themedbar areaandanoutdoor playground featuringpopulargameslike Finnish skittles (Mölkky),washerandspikeball—before making way for the star of LVL UP: the basketball court! Just fun, pure enjoyment.

Three (3) events all in one place: Village Laval!

LAVAL MOSAIC FESTIVAL – August 26–29

• Fwonte + TEKE::TEKE –August 26, 8 p.m.
• Laraw + Sarahmée– August 27, 8 p.m.
• Mateo + Elisapie– August 28, 8 p.m. 
• Afrikana Soul Sister– August 29, 8:00 p.m.

Village Laval will kick off with theMosaïque Laval Festival, a brand-new event in the city organized by La Centrale. This project allows the organization to“meet its goals of civic participation and social engagement by highlighting the celebration of Laval’s cultural diversity.”The events are free, but due to health and safety measures, you must reserve your spot atfestivalmosaiquelaval.com.

PUBLIC EVENTS AT VILLAGE LAVAL – September 2–11

• Marie-Pierre Arthur + AHI + Killa Jewel (DJ set) –September 2, 6:30 p.m.
• Vincent Vallières + Étienne Coppée + Sabrina Sabotage (DJ set)– September 3, 6:30 p.m.
• ÎleSoniq Evening– September 4, 6:30 p.m.
• Bleu Jeans Bleu + Barry Paquin Roberge + Gayance (DJ set) –September 9, 6:30 p.m.
• [Co]mic Night + Voyage Funktastique (DJ set)– September 10, 6:30 p.m. 
• Les Trois Accords + P’tit Belliveau + Kilo Jules (DJ set)– September 11, 6:30 p.m.

Over the next two weeks, [co]motion will offer a diverse lineup at an affordable price. Each evening kicks off with a DJsetto get the crowd warmed up,before making way for up-and-coming talent and established artists. The series kicks off onSeptember 2with the mellow folk-rock of Ontario’sAHI, followed by the very 70s-rock-inspiredMarie-Pierre Arthur. The next day,September 3,Étienne Coppée, grand prize winner of the 25th edition of Francouvertes, will precede the crowd-pleaserVincent Vallières, who will take the stage solo with his latest album,Toute beauté n’est pas perdue. Electro music fans are invited onSeptember 4for an evening in collaboration withÎleSoniq, details of which will be announced soon.

The following weekend is going to be a blast—with a smile on your face! First up is the psychedelic disco collectiveBarry Paquin Roberge, followed byBleu Jean BleuonSeptember 9, then the prolificP’tit BelliveauandLes Trois Accords onSeptember 11. In between, onSeptember 10, we’ll take a break for some comedy with an evening presented by[co]mic., whose performers will be announced shortly.

Each evening will feature musical performances by DJ sets fromKilla Jewel (Sept. 2),Sabrina Sabotage (Sept. 3),Gayance (Sept. 9),Voyage Funktastique (Sept. 10), andKilo Jules (Sept. 11). 

Reserve your seats—they’re limited! Tickets are on sale now atvillagelaval.comandco-motion.ca. 

Important note: We encourage attendees to bring their own chairs, if they wish, for the entire duration of Village Laval, except for LVL UP.  

LVL UP, DIGITAL LAB AND MUSIC – September 16–19

• A detailed schedule will be announced soon 

Village Laval will culminate withLVL UP, a digital and music lab, transforming intoan Urban Village that will feature a rich lineup of digital arts and rap and hip-hop music. We’ll share more details very soon, but visitlvluplab.comto check out the pre-LVL UP venue lineup. 

PARTNERS 

The Village Laval project is made possible thanks to financial support from Heritage Canada through the Support Fund for Workers in the Performing Arts and Music Sector, the City of Laval, and the Ministry of Tourism.

The City of Laval is partnering on the project. In addition to bringing the community together around a cultural initiative and promoting accessibility, this partnership aims to revitalize the Montmorency block and set the stage for a bustling downtown hub currently under construction.

The Ministry of Tourism is providing $25,000 in funding for the project. This funding comes from Component 3 ofthe2020–2022Regional Tourism Partnership Agreement(EPRT), in collaboration with Tourisme Laval.“Collaboration among stakeholders in the tourism industry is always a plus for our destination. Village Laval is an excellent example of a project that brings a region to life and will attract visitors. I am proud that our government recognizes the creativity of the developers and supports them in achieving their ambitions,” said Caroline Proulx, Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Lanaudière and Bas-Saint-Laurent regions.

“The creation of this new gathering place in the heart of downtown Laval, which will provide opportunities for people to come together and have fun, is refreshing news. The innovative concept behind this space—which combines outdoor games with performances featuring a variety of musical genres—underscores the strong creative spirit of Laval as a tourist destination,” added Geneviève Roy, CEO of Tourisme Laval.

To stay up to date and learn more about Village Laval, visitvillagelaval.comand follow us onFacebookandInstagramat @villagelaval. Sign up for our newsletter byclicking here. 

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VILLAGE LAVAL
is an initiative of[co]motion, a cultural catalyst

SOURCE
[co]motion, a cultural catalyst
Marie-Kim Dupuis-Brault |Digital Strategy, Marketing, and CommunicationsAdvisor
[email protected]

PRESS RELATIONS
Village Laval and LVL UP – Six Media
Simon Fauteux[email protected]
Patricia Clavel[email protected]

Mosaïque Laval Festival
Nejma Hamadi | Communications Assistant
[email protected] 

ABOUT
[co]motion, a cultural catalyst 
With 40 years of experience, [co]motion is a major cultural promoter that energizes the cultural scene in the Laval community by presenting a program of shows and events, offering its expertise as a venue manager and executive producer, thereby actively contributing to the development of the performing arts and creating meaningful encounters between artists, their works, and audiences. Recognized for its dynamic support of Laval’s emerging cultural scene, the organization is also behind the now-defunct MRCY Block Party festival and serves as the executive producer of Laval’s National Holiday celebration, which has become a must-see event during Quebec’s St-Jean-Baptiste Day celebrations.www.co-motion.ca.

LVL UP, Digital and Music Lab
LVL UP, Digital and Music Lab is a unique initiative that aims to bridge the worlds of urban music and digital arts. The event has been taking place in Laval’s Montmorency Quadrangle since September 2019, with the first edition drawing over 22,000 people. LVL UP was conceived by [co]motion, a cultural catalyst, in collaboration with Evenko and HUB Studio.

Mosaïque Laval Festival
Conceived and produced by La Centrale des artistes, the Mosaïque Laval Festival is a community-building event that celebrates the richness of cultural diversity through the arts.www.festivalmosaiquelaval.com