There is currently a veritable explosion of projects in and for public spaces. The repurposing of common areas along with a genuine mobilization of different communities in order to rethink and reclaim the city have accelerated the development of this movement. Long the distinct prerogative of cities, the concepts of placemaking and the appropriation of public spaces have rapidly democratized and resonate with new kinds of actors. With the transformation of old churches, the refurbishment and repurposing of public parks, the greening of alleys and the desire to turn certain roads into pedestrian-only roads, Montréal is participating in this process while numerous inspirational initiatives are being developed internationally in Australia, Asia and the Americas.

During this activity, the preliminary results of a Quebec-wide strategic monitoring of initiatives of the cultural sector to appropriate and transform public spaces will be presented. Following this, similar initiatives taking place in Canada and overseas will be presented by the Global Cultural Districts Network. The discussion to follow represents an opportunity to brainstorm on the factors of success, the conditions for occupying spaces, the innovations underway and the possibilities of pooling various experiences and expertise in order to facilitate their transfer.