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

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This is a vision for public art that puts artists and communities at the heart of what this strategy is trying to achieve. It is a vision for artistic creativity and experimentation, exploring new and greater opportunities for artists to use Toronto as their canvas to build challenging, ground- breaking works of public art that affirm the city's position as a global cultural capital. It is vision that prioritizes the public experience of public art, mobilizing communities to engage with public art.And it is a vision that seeks to animate and active all corners of Toronto. This vision is underpinned by commitment to embed truth and reconciliation® ® ® ®communities as foundational principles for public art. Not only is this commitment funda- mental to addressing the deficit of Indigenous cultural representation in the public realm, but it also positions Toronto to build a collection of public art unlike any other in the world one that is deeply connected to the cultural expression of Indigenous communities, and reflective of an aesthetic that is unique to our city. The City will turn this vision into action by delivering on a series of strategic actions connected to each of the vision's three pillars: Creativity,:, Public art transforms the City's urban fabric,telling stories about who we are and where we live. It engages residents and visitors in creative and cultural discovery through art, and challenges artists to experiment with new concepts to produce engaging public projects. Looking ahead, this strategy envisions a realm of possibilities for public art in Toronto, and seeks to encour- age creativity, risk-taking, and artistic experimentation. Community:Through creative, savvy digital tools, and engaging educational and interpretive programming, the strategy charts a course to better connect the public to public art. The actions in this section are guided by a desire to strengthen the everyday experience of public art, and a continued commitment to public art that is inclusive of Toronto's deep diversity, through both the local stories told through public art, and the artists commissioned for public projects. Everywhere: Public art can provide opportunities for residents to engage with the city's diversity and creativity on an everyday basis, no matter where they live. Recognizing the need to increase city-wide access to public art, the strategy sets out a path to improve the geographic distribution of public art across the city.There is more that the City can do to ensure that the benefits of public art are felt city-wide, particularly in areas outside of the downtown core and major development hubs. Toronto Public Art Strategy 2020/2030 27