{"id":65137,"date":"2022-04-28T07:00:57","date_gmt":"2022-04-28T11:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/?p=65137"},"modified":"2022-04-28T12:02:29","modified_gmt":"2022-04-28T16:02:29","slug":"the-power-of-place-artists-as-city-builders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2022\/04\/28\/the-power-of-place-artists-as-city-builders\/","title":{"rendered":"The Power of Place: Artists as City Builders"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Art by Okuda. Produced by StreetARToronto in Partnership with The STEPS Initiative.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Welcome to The Power of Place: Artists as City Builders. This series emerged out of my strong interest to share with you the incredible work that is happening across the city by artists supported by our StreetARToronto team, with a focus on highlighting the work being done by diverse Indigenous, Black, and Peoples of Colour artists throughout Toronto.<\/em><\/p>\n

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For ten years, StreetARToronto<\/a> \u2014 a City of Toronto public art initiative \u2014 has helped instigate and provide space for individual and community expressions to come alive in public spaces through street art, using the art itself as the catalyst to bring communities together, stimulate discussion and advance diversity, equity and inclusion. Working with the artist community and equity deserving groups, StART has innovated deep engagement processes that foster trust and meaningful relationships. Together, we have created world-class street art, helped build artist careers, and perhaps most importantly, the murals and the processes used to develop these works of art are deliberately designed to strengthen the sense of belonging, pride of place, and understanding among communities, neighbourhoods, and individuals with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences.<\/p>\n

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If the pandemic has taught us anything, it\u2019s that a vibrant public realm is necessary in good times and essential in more difficult times. Street art is a form of expression \u201cmarker\u201d in our public spaces that feeds our soul and stimulates points of connection, dialogue, and belonging. In this way, public art is critical to our health and well-being during the pandemic and our hope is to bring more of this public art to more residents, businesses, and visitors. And I, in turn, want to bring more of it to YOU each week.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Today\u2019s video features Anishinaabe Knowledge Keeper Andre Morrisseau of Fort William First Nation. Andre is an enthusiastic advocate and ambassador for Indigenous arts, culture, and public affairs. He is a former Chair of the Ontario Arts Council and is currently the Communication Manager for the Ontario Native Women\u2019s Association. Andre has been involved with StreetARToronto for more than seven years, and the virtual experience he co-created with StART in High Park to bring the Cherry Blossoms in peak bloom to Torontonians and the word during the 2020 pandemic lock- down remains one of the most viewed online events in the city of Toronto\u2019s social media history. I urge you to view and reflect on Part 1 of my 3-part conversation with Andre:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n