The Good Conspiracy was a project launched in May 2009 during the Biennale de Montréal that aimed to spread positive messages and energy throughout Montreal. It allowed people to share compliments, good news, words of support and encouragement, and suggestions for kind acts through various technologies and in public spaces. Handwritten notes with good messages were also collected and displayed. The project sought to trace "an axis of goodness" down a major Montreal street and brighten the city with optimism.

1. THE GOOD CONSPIRACY
Inspire. Conspire.
First wave: BNL MTL, May 2009

2. In May 2009, The Good Conspiracy was launched The Good Conspiracy infiltrated contemporary
during BNL MTL, the Biennale de Montréal. communication networks in the name of Common
Its ambition was to set the city awash in a Good, giving everyone the means to share
wave of positive energy. and broadcast good thoughts in public space.

3. Compliments
Good News
Moral Support
Wishes
Nice Gestures
The Good Conspiracy allowed citizens,
at all times, to share compliments, good news,
moral support, and wishes for happiness
or to suggest kind gestures and good deeds.

4. Messages came from a range of devices — from
Twitter, email, voicemail, SMS, to simple
handwritten notes.

5. My mother’s
MR I i s final l y
c an c e r free.
GOOD NEWS via

6. T u inspires
s ecrètement
les g e ns .
COMPLIMENT via

7. Wr i t e a l etter.
Y es. A l etter.
GOOD GESTURE via

8. The p rice of b e e r
i s do wn!
GOOD NEWS via

9. I f all else fails ,
g et a therap ist .
MORAL SUPPORT via

10. V o i r DIEU.
SOUHAIT via

11. D espertar cad a
m añana con la
en er gía que da
un a hermos a p a s i ón
en el coras ón.
DESEAR via

12. The Axis of Good The Good Conspiracy traced a path of goodness
through the very heart of Montreal, Saint-Laurent
Boulevard, between Sherbrooke Street and
Mont-Royal Avenue.

14. Stations for Common Good Citizens were invited to stop where the symbols
of the conspiracy appeared on the sidewalk.
— Raise your head and listen.
Singular and sonorous boxes, perched on high.

15. Wall of Common Good Some nights, the Good Conspiracy lit up a
building and invited citizens to an SMS
exchange. Messages were immediately projected
on the building façade.

16. Wall of Common Good Conspirators who sent messages automatically
received messages from fellow conspirators.

17. Notes for Common Good Note cards were available to collect handwritten
kind words. They could be found at numerous
locations sympathetic to the cause of The Good
Conspiracy.

18. Notes for Common Good Conspirators collected contributions on an
irregular basis and posted them on The Good
Conspiracy website.

19. Notes for Common Good Notes were also enlarged into posters and
disseminated good words to a larger audience,
on the Axis of Good.

20. Notes for Common Good

21. Conspiracy Automated The Good Conspiracy website was at the heart of
the broadcast. All messages, whether received
via twitter, email, sms or voicemail, were
gathered in one place.

22. Conspiracy Automated Voice messages were broadcast back on the street
to the Stations for Common Good. Written
messages were either printed and turned into
posters, or projected on facades.

23. Conspiracy published Messages were also sent to Montreal’s Metro
Newspaper, a key conspirator. Everyday a message
was published in a dedicated Good Conspiracy
section. This initiative reached hundreds of
thousands of people everyday.

24. The Bureau for Good The Bureau for Good, headquarters to the Good
Conspiracy, occupied a space within the main
BNL MTL gallery.

25. The Bureau for Good Conspirators could meet during regular
office hours.

26. S in g
ev er yd ay.
NICE GESTURE via

27. CONCEPT, OBjECT DESIGN MEDIA STRATEGy THANK yOU
Guillaume Sasseville Chantal Gosselin Bernard & Mario, Mark Bren-
nan, Matt Donnelly, Julia
CONCEPT, SOUND AND PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Duchastel Légaré, Gaspar-
MONUMENTAL PROjECTIONS Allison Lamarre Jules-Gustave, Les Amis du
Emmanuel Sévigny boulevard Saint-Laurent, Les
MIxING Sous-sol Lavallois, Claire et
An Amuse Project WEB AND TWITTER Sylvain Carufel, Studio Émile Mongiat, David Moreaux,
Presented at the Biennale Kung Fu Numérik Avenue Musique Neoxo, Nota Bene, Société de
de Montréal and Mutek développement du boulevard
© May 2009 COPy PROGRAMING Saint-Laurent, Bruno Ric-
Daniel Canty Claude Bélizaire (Kung Fu) ciardi, Lia Ruccolo, Antonin
Manuel Bossard (La Banque) Sorel, Stress Limit Design,
SOUND Michel Vaillancourt (JKL5) Ville de Montréal, Zodyo,
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Léon Lo the Biennale de Montréal and
Melissa Mongiat Serene Daoud FINANCING Mutek teams.
Amuse
STRATEGy THE GOOD CONSPIRACy Conseil des Arts de Montréal Journal Métro, CBC Radio
Stéphan Morency THEME SONG Centre International d’Art and Radio-Canada.
Kelsey Snook Léon Lo Contemporain
Simon Bélair Mutek LINKS
ART DIRECTION AND SCENARIO atelieramuse.com
Amélie Bilodeau VOICE OF THE GOOD CONSPIRACy SPONSORS – SPACE, EQUIPMENT biennalemontreal.org
Daniel Canty Marie Brassard Café Laïka jkl5group.com
Salon B journalmetro.com
DESIGN CONSULTATION La Banque kngfu.com
Patrick Bisson mutek.org
Martine Frossard latabledesmatières.com
Feed playmind.com
sssvll.com