Transformative Creative Initiatives in Retail Destinations across Canada

In a year-long collaboration, MASSIVart and JLL are embarking on a series of public art and placemaking initiatives at different JLL-owned or managed properties across Canada. Our joint efforts encompass curating celebrated artists like Liz West, Craig and Karl, and Trevor Wheatley for locations such as Guildford Town Centre and Metropolis at Metrotown and hosting engaging activations to celebrate the Back to School season. This partnership marks the beginning of an exciting journey, redefining placemaking and public art within the retail property sector.

Extending beyond just aesthetics, our collaboration with JLL brings to the table a comprehensive, long-term strategy seamlessly aligned with JLL’s diverse property portfolio. JLL decided to forge a strategic partnership with public art consultants MASSIVart because of our team’s outstanding creativity, reliability, precision, and an all-encompassing multi-year growth plan. With MASSIVart’s guidance, curation, design expertise, and expert management, each activity is tailored to the unique character of every JLL shopping center.

Guildford Town Centre (GTC), owned by Ivanhoé Cambridge and operated by JLL, aimed to revitalize its outdoor space, fostering community connections and increasing visitor traffic. MASSIVart’s solution was to collaborate with renowned artists Craig and Karl, known for their vibrant use of colours. These artists designed eight larger-than-life structures exclusively for GTC, with MASSIVart handling curation and production management. The result? GTC reached over 648,000 people through earned media, garnered 84 million press release impressions and over 1,000 scans related to promotional initiatives with the installation.

Under the banner of the Metropolis at Metrotown Shopping Centre’s Summer at the MET campaign, MASSIVart introduced an array of engaging activations that elevated the atmosphere and boosted overall engagement. This transformation, a testament to our alignment with JLL’s objectives to enhance community engagement and increase foot traffic, was made possible by the collaborative efforts of our dedicated team. The dynamic duo of artists Trevor Wheatley and Cosmo Dean played a pivotal role in turning the plaza into a vibrant creative oasis, effectively demonstrating public art’s profound impact on the community and business success. Through their work, the community was provided with a unique opportunity to enjoy public seating while basking in the beauty of a remarkable work of art.

In addition, MASSIVart proudly introduced Liz West’s internationally acclaimed artwork, “Hymn to the Big Wheel,” to Canada. Following its initial unveiling in New York City, this captivating piece of art made a return, accompanied by the performance group FakeKnot, further animating the installation. The fusion of art and performance not only delighted the audience but also served to elevate the Summer at the MET campaign, with 45 editorial placements and 239 social media shares (in-feed posts, stories, reels and TikTok videos) with over 5.6 million impressions.

To welcome the back-to-school season, MASSIVart proudly designed and produced a “Symphony of Repetition.” The activation received 7,500 visits within three weeks of the display. MASSIVart transformed everyday school materials into extraordinary works of art, providing a communal space for visitors to connect with creativity and share their excitement for the upcoming academic year.

MASSIVart and JLL’s strategic partnership demonstrates the transformative power of public art and placemaking in retail properties across Canada. From the economic benefits to increased traffic and the enhancement of retail environments as community gathering spaces, this continued partnership is positively impacting JLL’s properties across Canada. For more details on each project, visit our project pages.