Destination Toronto and Atlas Obscura debut ‘Moving Monuments’ robotic sound sculpture to spotlight city’s creative energy in NYC showcase

Destination Toronto and travel media brand Atlas Obscura have unveiled Moving Monuments, a 10-foot-tall robotic percussion installation designed to embody the cultural energy and creative spirit of Toronto through sound, movement, and machine art. Conceived as a cross-disciplinary collaboration between Toronto-based rapper and cultural figure Shadrach Kabango (known artistically as Shad) and roboticist-composer Danny Shaddick, the interactive sculpture will premiere publicly in New York City on September 6, 2025.

Part musical performance, part kinetic sculpture, Moving Monuments is being positioned not only as an artistic statement but as an ambassadorial project for Toronto’s identity as a global creative hub. The event—slated to take place for one day at Gansevoort Plaza at the High Line—is expected to draw art lovers, urban tourists, and cultural influencers alike, offering live performances by Shad alongside the mechanized percussive installation.

Why Moving Monuments is drawing international attention

Unlike conventional public art, Moving Monuments combines robotics, hip-hop, sustainability, and urban sound design in a multisensory experience. Designed over the course of a year, the installation features vertically stacked drums, each triggered by robotic arms engineered to play rhythmically precise patterns that form the “heartbeat” of the piece. What sets it apart is the integration of field recordings from across Toronto—urban parks, subway systems, street festivals—layered into the sonic composition to ground the piece in the city’s ambient soundscape.

The structure was crafted using repurposed instruments and salvaged metal components donated by the Toronto Transit Commission. Its modular, disassemblable frame speaks to a sustainability ethos rarely prioritized in touring public artworks. According to Shaddick, the instrument is designed for mobility, ensuring potential re-installations in other international cities post-NYC.

By commissioning this innovative concept, Destination Toronto and Atlas Obscura have tapped into a broader trend of destination marketing that leverages immersive art to convey city narratives. “Toronto thrives at the intersection of culture, creativity and innovation,” said Paula Port, Vice President of Global Marketing at Destination Toronto. “Moving Monuments invites New Yorkers to step into that energy and experience what makes Toronto truly one of a kind.”

How this robotic art project links to Toronto’s tourism strategy

The installation is part of Destination Toronto’s broader campaign to attract U.S. travelers through unconventional storytelling. As of 2024, American tourists contributed over C$1.6 billion to Toronto’s economy annually, with creative tourism—a sector that includes festivals, galleries, and cultural tours—driving a significant portion of visitation.

Destination Toronto’s decision to co-develop a one-of-a-kind robotic performance piece with Atlas Obscura, a platform known for spotlighting offbeat travel experiences, aligns with the city’s push to brand itself not just as Canada’s financial center but also as a hotbed of urban cultural fusion.

This form of “creative diplomacy,” where public art becomes an emissary for urban identity, follows recent trends in tourism branding. Cities from Melbourne to Seoul have increasingly turned to tech-enabled installations and immersive pop-ups to capture younger, experience-driven demographics.

In contrast to previous campaigns, Destination Toronto is emphasizing localized authenticity. By grounding Moving Monuments in the sounds, materials, and musical dialects of the city, the project aims to provide a visceral entry point into Toronto’s multicultural mosaic.

What the creators are saying about Moving Monuments

Both Shad and Shaddick emphasized the unusual nature of their collaboration. “The city is, of course, Toronto — the world’s most diverse — and that diversity is constantly visible in the iconic festivals and cultural celebrations throughout the city,” said Shad, who is also known for hosting Netflix’s Hip-Hop Evolution. “Finally, the collaboration itself is also something different: between a rapper and a robot.”

Shaddick, a long-time proponent of machine-based musical expression, stated, “This is a new type of performance. I’ve been following a few other artists around the world who work with motorized or automated sound pieces, but none have combined with the energy and character of rap-based vocals like Shad will be bringing to the project.”

The performance is expected to alternate between pre-programmed rhythmic sequences and real-time accompaniment to Shad’s live sets, introducing a hybrid form of robotic improvisation.

Why Destination Toronto partnered with Atlas Obscura

Atlas Obscura, which reaches an affluent, culturally adventurous readership through digital features and curated experiences, was a strategic choice for the project’s co-production. Known for uncovering hidden or overlooked destinations, the media brand has built a loyal global audience of urban travelers, many of whom prioritize unusual cultural experiences over traditional sightseeing.

The partnership gives Destination Toronto direct access to these travelers through high-impact storytelling, including a short documentary on the Moving Monuments creative process, which was distributed across Atlas Obscura’s social platforms and email network. The video chronicles the building of the tower, the artists’ Toronto-based sound sampling, and the eventual assembly of the robotic unit.

This media integration—combining live performance, behind-the-scenes storytelling, and cross-border physical presence—follows a growing tourism content model blending digital and real-world brand touchpoints.

Sentiment around the premiere and cultural positioning

Though no ticketing is involved, early sentiment on social media around Moving Monuments has been enthusiastic, especially within NYC arts circles. Posts referencing the event have garnered high engagement across Twitter, Instagram, and Threads, particularly among audiences interested in urban futurism, sound art, and hip-hop heritage.

Analysts in the destination marketing field view the event as a strong example of experiential place branding. It aligns with recent shifts in city promotion strategies, which are moving away from static messaging and toward dynamic cultural programming that audiences can engage with firsthand.

Marketing experts suggest that Moving Monuments may function as a template for future cultural export projects across major Canadian cities seeking stronger visibility in the U.S. travel market.

What’s next for Moving Monuments after its NYC debut?

While Moving Monuments is currently billed as a one-day showcase, its modular construction and positive early reception raise the possibility of a traveling exhibition. Industry observers believe it could appear at events like SXSW (Austin), Nuit Blanche (Paris/Toronto), or Art Basel (Miami), where the fusion of art, technology, and place-based identity is highly valued.

Destination Toronto has not confirmed further tour stops, but internal sources suggest discussions are underway to extend the lifespan of the piece. Future iterations may incorporate new recordings and collaborative performances with other Toronto-based musicians.

Atlas Obscura is also reportedly considering an expanded multimedia campaign featuring additional city-based robotic artworks, as part of a broader “Cities of the Future” editorial series launching later this year.

With tourism expected to rebound to pre-pandemic levels by 2026, immersive brand activations like Moving Monuments may represent a key lever in Toronto’s toolkit for engaging global travelers seeking purpose-driven, memorable experiences.