On October 16th TPSI and prominent public space artists gathered in Kensington market to make provocative posters and art installations protesting the city’s proposed policies and plans to sell the names of many of our public spaces, such as subway stations and parks, to corporations, in addition to sponsorships that could bring logos and aggressive advertising signage to public spaces. These will be installed at various locations around the city by small teams, along with over 700 posters and flyers, throughout November, to raise awareness about the naming rights and sponsorship issue in what we are calling a city wide ‘Art Attack’. We will focus on the wards of the ‘mushy middle’. We plan to send a strong message to our elected officials about the value of public names and advertising free spaces.
'Art Attack Sign'
If you don’t want corporate named and branded public spaces email your Councillor now.
We are also strongly encouraging the public to join us and come out to Executive Committee on November 1st to tell the committee in person that you don’t want corporate named and branded public spaces, and that they should reject ‘naming and sponsorship policies’ that aim to do just that. Email [email protected] for more information.
TPSI will also be releasing an in depth policy analysis of the proposed policies during the final week of October to the public, the media, community associations, and Councillors. Through November we plan on meeting Councillors to inform them on the policies that they may soon be voting on and recommend improvements to protect our public spaces.
In lieu of a formal public consultation on naming rights, we will be meeting with stakeholders on an individual basis to discuss and deliberate together on the issue of city naming rights and sponsorships. We will inform them of the policy proposals, their potential impacts, and work with them to ensure that they have a voice in the matter – as it stands the City doesn’t care what communities and people think. And that’s wrong.
If you belong to or are a representative of a community / park / heritage / residents association, please contact us if you would like to participate.
Highlights from our policy analysis will include information on how corporate naming rights may lower property values, how the policy proposals lack transparency and meaningful public consultation, and lack community standards.
Additional TPSI analysis on the policies can be found in this September 15th post, this August 15th post, this July 10th post, and this July 10th post on TTC naming rights.
