Vibrant Plazas and Culture Cities

This fall, Quartier des Spectacles International’s Expertise Lab (QDS Lab) joined a series of high-level conversations in Osaka, Tokyo, and Montréal—each exploring how culture can shape the future of city life.

Cet automne, le Laboratoire d’expertise du Quartier des spectacles international (QDS Lab) a pris part à une série de rencontres majeures à Osaka, Tokyo et Montréal — toutes centrées sur une même question : comment la culture peut-elle façonner l’avenir de la vie urbaine? 

As part of Osaka’s hosting of the World Expo 2025, civic and creative leaders were seeking to uncover what comes next for the city’s stage: how could it sustain the energy of the Expo and position the city as a lasting home for culture. Jacquelyn spoke about the power of animated plazas and cultural programming to drive social, cultural, and economic outcomes, emphasizing that curated, inclusive public spaces build local identity, attract audiences, and inspire civic pride. At a complementary discussion with Namba Square’s redevelopment partners, West shared lessons from Montréal’s Quartier des Spectacles — how governance, collaboration, and data can help cities pilot and scale cultural animation while demonstrating measurable value. “When residents love their neighbourhood, they take care of it,” she said. “Culture can nurture that love, and data can help prove its value.” 

In Tokyo, Jacquelyn West and QDS Lab was invited by Dentsu Live to join a dialogue on cultural infrastructure and destination development with speakers from Japan, Québec, and Belgium.

Montréal: The Osaka Connection at HUB Montréal 

The exchange came full circle at HUB Montréal, where Jacquelyn West moderated a session titled “Deep Dive: Osaka Universal Exposition.”

Feature Article: Municipal World Magazine

Published in Municipal World, August 2025
By Jacquelyn West and Bridget MacIntosh

We’re thrilled to share that Municipal World—Canada’s leading publication for civic innovation—has featured an in-depth article co-authored by Jacquelyn West, Senior Advisor with Quartier des Spectacles International and Placemaking Fellow with the Canadian Urban Institute, and Bridget MacIntosh, award-winning cultural strategist and creative producer.

“Placemaking Now: A Primer and Practice Guide for Municipal Leaders” explores how cities across Canada are embedding placemaking into their core infrastructure—bridging community, policy, and design to create more connected, equitable, and resilient public spaces.

The piece offers a clear, actionable framework for municipalities, outlining:

• How placemaking has evolved from grassroots experiments to an essential tool in city-building;

• Four practical tools for municipal staff—from measuring impact to partnering for change; and

• How departments like Parks & Recreation, Public Works, Planning, and Economic Development can integrate placemaking into their daily work.

At its heart, the article highlights the power of placemaking to advance belonging, equity, and well-being—demonstrating that public space is not just an amenity, but civic infrastructure that supports human flourishing.

“When municipalities embed placemaking into how they plan, deliver, and measure their services, they don’t just maintain physical assets—they nurture civic life and community trust.” — Municipal World, August 2025

Read the full article here: Municipal World – August 2025 Issue

What's Hot and Not? Digital Trends for Public Space (GCDN Los Angeles)

Immersive art in public

As part of the GCDN (Global Cultural District Network) conference in Los Angeles, Jacquelyn West from the QDS Lab and Julie Dalbec of Hub Montreal presented an interactive workshop to a full-house.

A Tidal Wave of Visibility for “Let’s Talk About Placemaking”

Publication and Campaign Lead: Jacquelyn West

Let’s Talk About Placemaking—a national publication edited and promoted by Jacquelyn West in collaboration with the Canadian Urban Institute and Canada’s Placemaking Community—has generated an exceptional wave of attention across the placemaking and urban design sectors.

In just a few weeks, the publication reached over 150,000 people, with 33 organizational re-posts and 9,000+ impressions on LinkedIn. The campaign achieved an 8.8% engagement rate, a 6.64% click-through rate, and 722 total engagements, illustrating the strong resonance of its message across civic, cultural, and creative networks.

Leading organizations such as Project for Public Spaces, PlacemakingX, PlacemakingUS, Placemaking Europe, Happy Cities, STEPS Public Art, and Quartier des Spectacles International amplified the publication, underscoring the growing recognition that placemaking is not just a design strategy—but essential civic infrastructure that fosters belonging, creativity, and resilience.

Under Jacquelyn’s editorial and promotional direction, the publication has helped shape a national conversation on how municipalities and cultural practitioners can measure, design, and lead placemaking with purpose.

The project continues to serve as both a knowledge-sharing platform and a catalyst for collaboration within Canada’s creative city-building movement.

Explore the publication here: Let’s Talk About Placemaking

The Inaugural Lumino Pro : Parlons Placemaking

LUMINO Pro is an international forum dedicated to transforming winter into a cultural season through public-space innovation, placemaking, and light-based art presented by the Quartier des Spectacles of Montréal.

It is both a professional conference and a living laboratory, featuring workshops, site visits, a B2B market, and creative showcases that enable cities and creators to develop winter projects and cultural strategies.

stackt LOVE - Fast Company

stackt has taken unused land and transformed it into an experience of curated discovery. Designed entirely out of shipping containers, at stackt you'll engage in new experiences, find new products and form new perceptions. It's an ever changing and evolving cultural marketplace that will feed your curiosity.

“As we build vertical communities, there hasn’t been a ton of attention to what’s happening at the ground level,” says Jacquelyn West, who is in charge of Stackt’s arts programming. “Stackt creates a space for community to intersect and create those bonds that help us feel connected to the place we live.” NOW Magazine, April 2019.

“this will be a place of community commerce and belonging”

— Jacquelyn West, Global News

published interview with Global News:

While the market’s appearance is all black for the time being, Stackt’s lead artist has plans to change the design of the space to make it more colourful and community driven.

“We were really looking to build a contemporary cultural hub,” said Jacquelyn West, arts and community lead at Stackt. “What we’re hoping to do is really create a welcome place.”

West said the space will transform with new elements like walkable murals and contemporary art installations.

“This unique space continues to safely bring our community together to enjoy creative marketplaces, entertainment, and art.”

— Toronto Mayor John Tory

Gardiner Museum Preview with the Artistic Director

See article here

Toronto Star

excerpt from the article:

Jacquelyn West, Stackt’s head of art and culture, says people “want spaces that can really serve a mutual value to the public, to the artists, but also to the business they’re trying to operate.”

West says the market selects artists who showcase differing viewpoints, styles and backgrounds. Many will have one thing in common: their work is photogenic or offers interactivity….

“This is a sign of the times,” says West. “Artists are understanding what audiences (or the sponsors) are drawn to and are looking for. They are looking for it to go viral or become an icon of that moment.”

West says that more and more, artists are integrating user experience into their practice, thinking about photographic sightlines or how a piece might be visually recorded. “It definitely is more of a consideration and maybe even a key foundation to building new work.”

VOGUE : We are More

Vogue features artist Maryam Keyhani’s installation at Gardiner Museum’s SMASH, an exhibition directed by Jacquelyn in June 2018. 

“Handle with Care” is a collection of ceramic works based on fantastical hat creatures. Each their own character, form and size yet they coexist together. The collaboration between artists Maryam Keyhani and Dasha Valakhanovitch was commissioned for SMASH: We Are More. In this body of work the artists explore characters through materials and shapes to create surreal objects that are complex but lighthearted. (Which is what the world could use right now!) A series where all these characters come together and form a world of their own.

Interview about SMASH: We Are More

Check out the interview that describes the art program approach for June 2018's SMASH Contemporary Art Party at the Gardiner Museum.

(excerpt) "What are you looking forward to most about the event?

Throughout my career, my favourite projects have been the ones that catalyze a grand collaboration of the creative community and showcase artists who shape modern culture. The program for SMASH brings together exceptionally talented artists and creatives from Toronto and Montreal. It’s an experience inspired by the beauty of the Gardiner Museum and the creative energy of the Toronto/Montreal corridor. This year’s robust art program builds on our reputation as one of the great contemporary art parties in Toronto, and I can’t wait to see it IRL."

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Reimagined Spaces: Torontoist Interview →

An in-depth interview with some of the placemaking creatives actively pushing a new agenda in Toronto's high stakes space game. Jacquelyn was invited to share her perspectives, excerpt below:

“The creative economy outperforms the general economy in Toronto. Our cultural exports (especially in music) are world-renowned. The use of empty and subsidized spaces enables Toronto to incubate talent authentically, build community and exchange ideas,” said Jacquelyn West, who ran Rally Ossington, a first-of-its-kind placemaking project designed to spark the local creative economy and act as hub for ideas, creative entrepreneurs, and cultural showcase.
Continued here

Rally Ossington Feature

"One space in the city, however, reigns supreme in the world of pop-up shops and events - that's Rally on Ossington."

Rally Ossington was a mixed use cultural and retail incubator focused on contemporary culture, art and the City's creative community. Concepted and directed by Jacq West. See it here.

Be it resolved: Is Toronto a Playground for the rich?

Be it resolved: Is Toronto a Playground for the rich?

Panelists: Shawn Micallef, Andray Domise, Jacquelyn West and Mackenzie Keast, hosted at West’s “Rally Ossington”

Torontoist spoke with panelists from "“Be it Resolved: Is Toronto a Playground for the Rich?,”  Andray Domise, Shawn Micallef, and Jacquelyn West about why Toronto is particularly affected by income inequality, the ramifications for our growing city, and what we as individuals can do to create a more equitable community. 

"West feels that we as citizens haven’t demanded the returns we’re owed from the city’s lucrative period of development. “Our neighbourhoods are effectively disappearing to the highest bidder. In Toronto our systems of control have not kept pace with growth, and an appetite from land-owners for quick dollar bills supersedes long-term consideration of the people who inhabit our city. We have left the design of our modern urban communities to developers who for the majority, are seeking the quickest and highest return per square foot.” " Continued here.

VOGUE: Guide to the Cultural Capital

Jacq's seminal project Hermann & Audrey included in the VOGUE magazine round-up of Toronto’s best cultural finds. Labeled an “Arbiter of Cool”, the Hermann & Audrey gallery space and artist collective was highlighted in this cultural guide of the City. See the whole list here.

Dundas West Third Thursdays

Canada’s Daily Secret has named Hermann & Audrey's project, Dundas West Third Thursdays, as one of their favourite things to do in Toronto.  The indecision struggle is real, but on the Third Thursday of each month the decision is easy.

Huffington Post Canada

Huffington Post Canada interviewed NXNE Art Curator & Festival Director, (and Hermann & Audrey Creative Director), Jacquelyn West. The article mentioned the new art program as a part of the NXNE Festival is “Something with imagination. Something with heart. Something that makes you feel.” Also, calling Hermann & Audrey’s Creative Director “a passionate city builder.” Hermann & Audrey took the reigns of NXNE’s Art portion this year for the first time in the festival’s history. Huffington Post Canada pushes the latest Canadian and world news content covering politics, business, lifestyle and the viral web.
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1LoveTO

Curated by Jacq West and executed by an amazing crew at Hermann & Audrey, the urban interventions of NXNE Art produced 20+ new permanent outdoor works in Toronto. 

Global News

Global News mentioned the “urban takeovers” happening around the city as a part of NXNE Art, noting how “a number of artists will take over parts of the city. The article stated “NXNE Art will recreate Toronto’s iconic Graffiti Alley between Niagara St. and Tecumseth St. with murals by Toronto and Detroit-based artists.” The article served as a look inside the street art program to span across Toronto, curated and produced by Hermann & Audrey. 

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Yonge Street touts impact of outdoor art program

Yonge Street Media online took note of NXNE Art 2014 transforming the city of Toronto, “one alley at a time.” The article detailed that art “…is one of the only mediums with the capacity to shift the narrative of a city street, to transform a dark and desolate alley into a destination of beauty, a passageway that not only promotes foot traffic, but also enhances the safety of the entire area…” while noting “that’s exactly what is happening now [with NXNE Art]…throughout the city.” Yonge Street is a weekly online magazine named after the Toronto region’s main street and the spine that ties us altogether with a mission to see the future in what is working well in the Toronto region today.

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Best of Toronto: The NXNE Art Opening Reception presented by Samsung Canada

A first in the history of NXNE, Hermann & Audrey produced and curated the art portion of the festival. Best of Toronto mentioned the NXNE Art Lounge as a part of NXNE Art 2014 in their online blog, stating “The North by Northeast (NXNE) festival is generally known for its music, but [at the NXNE Art opening reception], art took centre stage.” The article further noted that “the installations at NXNE Art’s opening reception showcased art and technology together at their finest.” Best of Toronto covers the best in Toronto in Fashion, Food, Arts, Culture and events.

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