Design: An Emergent Area of Cultural Policy in Montreal

Abstract

This article examines the development of a design policy in Montreal. It is based on a series of policy documents issued by the municipal administration between 2005 and 2018. The policy was developed in a context in which Montreal is attempting to rebrand itself as a “cultural metropolis.” Therefore, this policy is analyzed in relation to the creative city model. Three aspects of the policy are explored in detail: the vision of design; the support provided to its production, and its reception. The study concludes with a discussion of the increasing commercialization of the urban space and its relation to this policy.

Keywords:

• Design
• cultural policy
• municipal administration
• creative city
• urban space
• commercialization

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1 The initial analysis was performed on the original French version of these documents. Most of the quotes used in this article are taken from the official translation into English provided by the City of Montreal. In some cases, there are small differences between the French and English versions. In such cases, the French version has prevailed.

2 In 2015, a new edition of the Commerce Design was held to mark the 20th anniversary of the competition. However, the competition was not repeated.