Press release
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal:
A partner in the 10th edition of the Journées de la culture
Montreal, September 29, 2006 The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is proud to participate in the tenth edition of the Journées de la culture. For the third consecutive year, the Board of Trade is organizing a series of activities in line with its goal of bringing the worlds of culture and business closer together.
At the Board of Trade, we firmly believe that it is our duty as well as that of the Montreal business community to more actively support the cultural community and to work more closely with it. The creativity at the core of Montreal's cultural vitality is one of our greatest strengths as well as an essential component of the extraordinary quality of life that is one of our city's most distinctive elements. We must give our artists the means to express themselves, to be seen, and to think big, declared Isabelle Hudon, president and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal.
This year, as part of the Journées de la culture, the Board of Trade hosted Marc Mayer, director of the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal, at a business breakfast. During this event, the work of art chosen to celebrate the winners of the Prix Arts-Affaires launched once again this year by the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal and the Conseil des arts de Montréal in association with Le Devoir was unveiled, and the $10,000 prize was presented to Rita a multidisciplinary design collective composed of Stéphane Halmaï-Voisard, Karine Corbeil and Francis Rollin, by Isabelle Hudon, president and CEO of the Board of Trade, and Louise Roy, chair of the Conseil des arts de Montréal (photo: www.btmm.qc.ca/PAAwinners). This work of art symbolizes the merger of two sectors business and the arts which, together, make Montreal a unique and exceptional city.
The co-chairs of the Honorary Commitee also wish to congratulate Ute Wolff and Zahra Henderson-Peal, the two runners-up in the contest to design this trophy. On November 30, the winners of the Prix Arts-Affaires, aiming to acknowledge the remarkable support of cultural patrons, will be announced in three categories: large enterprise, SME, and arts/business personality. Nominations for this award will be accepted until October 30.
Following this meeting, the Board of Trade invited its members and the general public to visit the World Trade Centre's Ruelle des Fortifications which, in honour of the Journées de la culture, has been transformed into an art gallery with guest painters and puppet workshops presented by the Théâtre de la Dame de Coeur. In addition, an innovative group project by master enamellist Bernard Séguin Poirier will be created on-site. Twenty-five children will be invited to create their own work of art, which will be integrated with those of the artist to form a giant mosaic. In addition, courtesy of Alcan, the Chamber Music Festival will provide a musical backdrop during the lunch hour (12:30 1:15 p.m.)
The Journées de la culture were inaugurated in 1997 to promote and strengthen efforts to democratize culture in Quebec. Though its three days of free activities, this event offers a unique and valuable opportunity to experience the democratization of culture and the arts throughout all our communities, large and small.
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal has some 7,000 members. Its mission is to represent the interests of the business community of Greater Montreal and to provide individuals, merchants and businesses of all sizes with a variety of specialized services to help them achieve their full potential in terms of innovation, productivity and competitiveness. The Board of Trade is the largest private organization in Quebec dedicated to economic development.
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Source:
Sylvie Paquette
Coordinator, Media relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Tel.: (514) 871-4000, ext. 4015
sylvie.paquette@ccmm.qc.ca