vancouver public space network

The arts are an unquestionably important piece of our social fabric, providing depth, context and a sense of vibrancy to the world we live in. While nobody would deny this fact, what does often come into question is who should be funding the arts, and how much. In British Columbia, provincial funding mostly comes through the B.C. Arts Council. In addition to the funds received, this relationship often allows B.C. arts organizations to leverage additional funding from other foundations and governments. This past year, B.C. was the only Canadian Province to cut arts funding, in response to the economic downturn. According to the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Service Plan, provincial arts funding is scheduled to fall by more that a whopping 88% over two years, from $19.5 million in 2008-09 to just $2.25 million in 2010-11.

Down with the billboards ...

While these facts and figures paint a dour picture (pun sadly intended) for local artists and art organizations, the reality of the situation is that money funding art is money taken away from other important domains, such as health care, transportation, and housing, and is bound to offend some voters.

So what can be done to supplement ailing arts funding while not demanding critically needed funds be taken away from other sectors?

Our dear friends in Toronto (whom I know we all love/love to hate) have just implemented a wonderfully innovative, collaborative, and popular solution: taxation. Yes, you read me right, I have just used the words “popular” and “taxation” in the same sentence. Toronto has just passed a reform package that will see a tax on billboards, with tax dollars being used to enforce the bylaws governing signs and to fund public art. Not only will this help to ensure eye-sore billboards will be kept to a minimum, but will also give the opportunity for public art to take its rightful place in the cityscape. The reform package includes changes to the zoning variance process that will make approving new signs more difficult, and fines for violating bylaws. The tax will generate an estimated $10.4 million each year. According to a local activist who was involved in the process, the victory was a result of activists and industry collaborating from a very early stage.

... and up with Public Art!

Vancouver, as a city who proclaims to be progressive, innovative, sustainable, and culture-friendly, we need to be thinking of and implementing innovative solutions like this. The Vancouver Public Space Network estimates that half of Vancouver’s billboards are not compliant with the city’s most recent bylaws … which could translate into much needed dollars for public art. Really, with public support, aesthetic imperative, precedent, and a very real need on our side, how could we not?

Granville Street Redesign

When this website was but a nascent blog, I lamented Vancouver’s lack of a public square. A year later, as condo towers continue to spring up all around us, and the pressure to expand transportation infrastructure remains unabated, the need to carve out and protect public spaces is more necessary than ever. Through the course of its development, Vancouver seems to have missed out on some great opportunities create public spaces. Downtown building density makes it difficult to congregate before and after concerts and films. Outside our stadiums, celebrating a sports victory takes place along the sidewalks of Yaletown or in areas adjacent to glassy towers. Robson square, while great from a design standpoint (Kudos Arthur Erikson), fails as a public gathering site, in my view. Its basement-like quality leaves it ignored and under-used. Why go there, when the sunlit steps of the VAG beckon above?

It’s not all bad – Vancouver does hold plenty examples of embracing public space in all kinds of creative ways. We just need to do more.

For example, the Olympics have helped turn things around. The task of “hosting the world” in 136 days (and counting), has pumped creativity and dollars in dusting off two of our most important public spaces:

Recently capped withsnazzy glass domes this year to the tune of $1.6 million, Robson Square will enjoy a place in the limelight this February as a central media hub. Time will tell if this will give the square a new lease on life. Perhaps the lit-up glass domes, will act as a lure for more impromptu gatherings than the square currently sees. I sure hope so.

The near-completed redesignof Granville Street into a majestic promenade promised to inject new life into the city’s central artery, having languished in seedy obscurity for too long.

On a less glitzy but no less important scale, grassroots efforts at promoting all kinds of varied public space deserve a place in the spotlight as well.As described in a recent post, entitled Getting to know your Community Art, Kurt Heinrich describes how the Commercial Drive community is using its walls as a backdrop for wonderful community art. I also love how, in neighbourhoods across the city, busy residents take part in creative gardening and often artistic gardening, transforming traffic intersection into sites of public, green pride.

The advocacy effort for Vancouver public spaces received a huge boost last Tuesday with the exciting launch of PubliCity, a newly minted magazine put out by theVancouver Public Space Network (VPSN)The VPSN is a grassroots collective that engages in advocacy, outreach and education on public space issues in and around Vancouver. Efforts include combating advertising ‘creep’ in public spaces, promoting creative, community friendly urban design, monitoring private security activities downtown and looking at ways to re-green forgotten spaces and alleys of the city. PubliCity will provide a great vehicle for creating awareness of these issues and inspiring democratic debate about how best to promote, create and use public space in all its forms.

It goes without saying, that without public space, community can and will not flourish.

The Daily Gumboot

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Down with the billboards and up with the public art!

Vancouver and Community Space