Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 01/09/2025

Home

Looking ahead, the City can build on its strong foundations to enhance the impact of public art for the benefit of all of Toronto. The Toronto Public Art Strategy seizes this opportunity by putting forward a vision to empower creativity and community, everywhere. This is a vision for a city committed to public art, accessible to all, that reinforces neighbourhood character, embraces excellence in design, and advances the careers of local artists.And, it is grounded in a commitment to advancing truth and reconciliation with Indigenous communities, and championing the work of Indigenous artists and curators.To deliver on this vision,the Toronto Public Art Strategy includes 21 actions that will strengthen the core services that the City provides, and identify directions for the future. YEA11 ' [� 1�1T 2021 The Year of Public Art will be a major year-long celebration of art and community taking place in 2021. It will be the first Toronto-wide programming initiative arising from the new strategy, and signal the City's renewed vision for and commitment to public art. The Year of Public Art will animate all corners of Toronto with innovative public art projects throughout the year. Planned highlights of the Year of Public Art include an expansion of Nuit Blanche to North York and Etobicoke, new funding for artists to produce public art works city-wide in 2021, to be delivered by the Toronto Arts Council, and partnerships with leading cultural institutions.To drive public engagement,the City will be extensively promoting the Year of Public Art through online public art tools, and partnerships with media to highlight special programming initiatives. The Year of Public Art will leave an enduring legacy through significant new commissions, and by greatly diversifying the opportunities for meaningful engagement and interaction between artists, art and the public. Central to the legacy is a commitment to increased support to artists working in the public realm, recognizing the collective contributions of artists whose significant public works have made Toronto a global leader in public art. I P 1� The City embarked on the development of this strategy in 2018,following direction from the Economic Development Committee to consider the recommendations of Redefining Public Art in Toronto, a study led by OCAD University and the University of Toronto. In reviewing the study's recommendations, City staff identified the need for a shared vision and strategy to advance public art in Toronto, and formed both an external project advisory committee and an internal working group to contribute to its development (see Appendix A for list of committee members). 10 Creativity and Community— Everywhere