Ideas in the Dark

Inaugural Event

When Montrealers turn out the lights, especially for an event like Earth Hour, they don't just sit there. So we created an event - Ideas in the Dark - to show how Montrealers could be the most eco-creative people in the world.

During our event at La SAT, we had artists, thinkers, performers and the public making contributions. Our thinkers came up with seven ideas to make Montreal the most eco-creative city it can be. Our artists did photoshoots in the dark. Our performers - the National Parcs and Orange-Orange – played live and were featured in the world's first Facebook Flashlight mob. And our public, more than 400 of them, shared their thoughts on Ideas in the Dark as part of an interactive Post-it mosaic.

In addition to all this, other photographers tried their hand at shooting in the dark, people tuned in live to our web site from a number of countries, and some musicians even recorded their own songs at home and sent us the work.

Finally, the media covered us from across the country. We've added print, tv and web clippings. All of it is below. We hope you enjoy it, we look forward to your feedback, and as one person wrote on our wall: "Black is the new green."

Portfolio

The Scene

Hundreds of people participated in Ideas in the Dark in Montreal. Here’s what the surroundings looked like. Check it out.

The Art

We invited some artists, real pros with real reps, to shoot pictures in the dark. They found new ways of capturing light. Check it out.

Moving images

It felt, at times, like there were more people with cameras than people without. This means user-generated video from the broadcast generation. Check it out.

Des idées dans le noir © 33mag

Camera 1

Camera 2

Orange Orange

National Parcs

The Ideas

We got some top thinkers to a new kind of brainstorm. All words, all thinking, all strategy. No facial expressions, no talking with hands, just pure ideas. Here’s what they had to say:

1. Montréal declares there’s no such thing as trash

The word ‘garbage’ no longer exists.
All refuse becomes an opportunity/a resource.
2. Montréal is the city of bartering

Everything is bartered, nothing is lost. Pass it forward.
Valorizing what is pre-used.
3. Montréal is fresh!

Creation of green zones by “citizen farmers”
These zones must be visible using Google Maps to calculate results.
4. Montréal creates the Council of the Generations

Annual inter-generational celebration at Parc du Mont-Royal (under 18 and above 55) to exchange on large social projects.
Power: youth/wisdom
5. Montréal creates the Great Big Energy Counter
Setting up a large sign that would count energy spending in real time. A kind of “energy meter” that counts:
- time
- watts
- CO2
- $ spent on energy consumption
- refuse
- degrees
The large meter would become an emblematic symbol; its results would be broadcast online, on cell phones, etc.
6. Montréal is a city-school

Creation of mandatory green courses for all.
Creation of a movement to give people a sense of responsibility in order to plan before they act.
7. Montréal is home to Ideas in the Dark, an annual event

Becomes an annual ‘rendez-vous’ where all citizens become thinkers.

Participants included: Luce Beaulieu, graphic ecodesigner at Perennia, Cédric Sportes, industrial eco-designer at Perennia, Pierre Laramée, co-founder of Galerie Commissaires, Laurent Lafite, activist, blogger and businessman, Anne-Claire Richard, Assistant Curator of educational services at the Canadian Centre for Architecture, Jean-Philippe Tardif, Vice-President of Branding and Design at bleublancrouge.

Flashmobs

We did two new kinds of flashmob. A Facebook flashmob, and a flashlightmob.
Check it out.

Facebook

Other Ideas in the Dark

Some other Montrealers took matters into their own hands and had their own ideas in the dark.

Madame Brown (www.madamebrown.com) organized an event that included a photoshoot by Nico Stinghe and Art Director Roxana Zegan. Using flashlight, cell phones, foreworks and non-toxic glow-inthe-dark paint, they shot the lights out. Their party included a great location (http://anothersidewalk.tv), a stylist-in-the-dark (www.station8clothing.com) and set decorator Kristian Verono. On top of all this, contemporary dancers Rawa (Lisandre Sauvé Coutu and Abram Moore) tripped the dark fantastic, hair stylst Chop Shop who cut hair in the dark, DJ Le Bronze spun some tunes, and mathew Kingsley got it all on film. Check it out!

Other friends recorded songs, shot video and found their own creative ways of having Ideas in the Dark. Check it out!

Rien n'est perdu

Press

Ville Montreal

Communiqué bilan Idées dans le noir

Pierre Laramée, Galerie Commissaires
Gaëtan Namouric, Executive Vice-President and Creative Director
Alain DeSousa, Executive Committee Member responsible for Sustainable Development for the City of Montreal
Justin Kingsley, Vice-President at bleublancrouge
Roxana Zegan, Art Director at bleublancrouge

We wish to thank the SAT for its premises, Laprod for logistics, and Audio Z for the music programming.

Inaugural Event

Portfolio

The Scene

The Art

Moving images

The Ideas

1. Montréal declares there’s no such thing as trash

2. Montréal is the city of bartering

3. Montréal is fresh!

4. Montréal creates the Council of the Generations

5. Montréal creates the Great Big Energy Counter

6. Montréal is a city-school

7. Montréal is home to Ideas in the Dark, an annual event

Flashmobs

Other Ideas in the Dark

Press

Ville Montreal

TV interview

Our partners

Newspapers

Web site

Marketing and publicity Web sites

Web site environment

Web sites (other)