Corridart (stylized as Corrid'Art) was an almost six-kilometer long public exhibit of monumental installation artwork that took place in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on Sherbrooke Street for about two full days in the summer of 1976. It was intended to be the principle arts and cultural component of the 1976 Summer Olympics. The exhibit showcased approximately 60 artists and had stages at two points along the street to host some 700 performances throughout the duration of the games. Moreover, Corridart was further designed to specifically showcase Quebec artists and the local arts community. Corridart included artworks that engaged with history of Montreal as well as the social, and economic problems that were then current within the city, province, country and world, reflecting the difficulties in striking a societal balance between increasing globalization and the desire for a national identity. Sherbrooke Street was chosen because it provided the most direct link between the urban core and the Olympic Park in the East End. Moreover, it was a street caught in the middle of Montréal's metamorphosis, as the artists were additionally commenting on the Drapeau administration's approval of the demolition of many heritage properties on that storied street..[1]
Unfortunately Corridart never officially opened to the public. In a controversial decision, Mayor Jean Drapeau deemed the artworks ugly had them torn down two days before the Olympics games began. Most of the works were destroyed, leading to a legal battle that lasted for ten years and saw very little compensation awarded to the artists. The total cost in 1976 dollars for the project was a scant $386,000 (about $1.5 million in 2011 Canadian Dollars), and was considered an expensive mistake by city officials.[2]
On July 1, 2001, the Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery at Concordia University honored Corridart by presenting an exhibition for the 25th anniversary of its destruction.[3]