Councilor De Baeremaeker may firmly believe that advertisements are beautiful, but we'd rather appreciate the art of other Torontonians than having Ronald McDonald smiling down on us from a billboard 50 feet above us. If advertising is a financial imperative to the economic stability of the city of Toronto, it is key to find a proper alternative that will not only free Toronto streets from privatization, but also support city funding.
A very promising alternative is the implementation of Billboard licensing fees, proposed by the Beautiful City Campaign, an alternative that not only creates a lively city but also democratizes the outdoors! This new direction allows for the financing of more art events such as Nuit Blanche, an event important to Toronto's cultural fabric. It also allows for the funding of art programs which would in turn help generate a creative Toronto youth, giving the city a more promising future.
The flashy advertisements at Yonge-Dundas square may be exciting to see but imagine a Yonge-Dundas Square that was no longer cluttered with corporate ads but filled with murals, paintings, silk-screens, videos and installations by local artists. Now that is what we call the propagation of local culture and the reclamation of our streets for our use!
AD-ios! is a student run collaborative based in Toronto's Guelph-Humber university striving to raise awareness on the lack of free and non-privatized public space. This major issue is currently happening in your city and is being shaped by your city councillors! Learn the facts, join the public space cause and influence your local government to do the same!
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