BeautifulCity.ca Alliance (2001-2010…)
Project Website | Photo Documentation | Press | Video 1 | Video 2 | Video 3
“More is being done here by a couple of councillors and a handful of activists to educate people about City Hall and open up civic processes than has been done by the collected mainstream press corps in the last ten years.” Mike Smith, ‘Local Motion: The Art of Civic Engagement,’ Coach House Books, 2010.
Role: Co-founder / Concept, Alliance Coordinator
BeautifulCity.ca first introduced the idea of a tax on billboards to enhance public spaces via art during the 2001 Creative City Consultations. Since then 5000 people signed a petition in support and over 60 organizations from across Toronto endorse it. According to both 2007 Environics and 2009 EKOS Polling 7/10 Torontonians are in favour. Work included policy development, town halls, extensive public relations and coordinating an alliance of over 60 organizations. Membership included organizations ranging from the Art Gallery of Ontario to the Elementary Teachers of Toronto. The billboard tax and bylaw drastically improving protection of public spaces passed council 11/29 in 2009. This led to Toronto council passing a 40/1 commitment to allot 17.5 million dollars in additional annual arts spending (a 43% increase.) Despite a favourable vote by the current Mayor of Toronto, this commitment has not been met. This work was supported by the Laidlaw Foundation and Schools without Borders.
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