Its been way to long since I had anything to say about street art in Calgary...so here it is...I'm gonna make this happen...SPRING 2014...with the help of ACAD and the City Of Calgary Public Art.....

Introduction:

From giant blue orbs to community patchwork murals, the City of Calgary is claiming to embrace Public Art.  One modality that has been marginalized is the ever-popular movement of Street art.  City officials, worried about condoning illegal graffiti have created a polarity of art or crime, which has created a backlash against legitimate urban artists. These artists who choose the streets as their galleries are unwelcome in Calgary as there is little recource for them to get legal public canvasses.  We are hoping to re open the conversation of what constitutes appropriate publc street art and come to a more balanced perspective.  Thus the need for a panel discussion, with experts that have insight into this complex issue:

“New Page” Fresh Perspectives on Street Art in Calgary, Challenges and Sucesses in other North American Cities and what we can learn moving forward.

Background:

Calgary, like so many other large North American Cities, has spent millions on illegal graffiti cleanup at the expense of the public.  In an attempt to control the situation, Calgary Police and Bylaw serves have implemented a "graffiti free" mandate and an unconstitutional bylaw that discriminates on one particular style of art. This has done very little to curb youth graffiti, but it has created a backlash against all street art.  In the current political climate in Calgary there is very little access to wall space, funding, displays, youth mentorship and community revitalization for legitimate artists that work in this medium.  "New Page" is not interested in advocating for illegal taggers and graffiti artists, but for street artists that want to work with the City of Calgary and Private businesses to create inspirational murals.  Good street art brings color, vibrancy and diversity to he community and encourages youth to express themselves in a constructive way. 

Proposal:

I want to host a panel discussion at the Stanford Lecture hall at ACAD in the spring of 2014.

 I want to open up the dialogue about the positive merit of Street Art, and it's place in Calgary, and address important questions such as:

""What happened during the Shaw Millennium pilot project?''

"Hoe does Zero Tolerance of graffiti impact both legal and illegal graffiti?

"Does the city of Calgary see legal street art as a legitimate contemporary art form?

" How do we respect the city we live in and give street artists a venue to paint?"

"How have other North American Cities found success with legal street art projects?"

I have selected a panel of experts who can offer insight and experiences on this subject who include:

Dawn Ford: Co-coordinator for the city of Calgary Art Program (CONFIRMED)

Dawn has an MFA in theater and has worked extensively with marginalized groups, allowing people who have little voice the opportunity to express themselves through the arts.   She has experience and insight into Calgary's Arts programming and the challenges the City Public Arts department faces while working with bylaw and police when advocating for Street Art projects.

Kirsty Trinier: Past Director of Edmonton Public Art

Kristy Trinier is a contemporary artist, cultural director, writer and researcher based in Edmonton, Canada. She is a Curator at the Art Gallery of Alberta. While working as the Public Art Director in Edmonton, she set up a successful legal wall system, which is still operational today.  

Adam Melnyk: Author Visual Orgasm, The Early Years of Canadian Graffiti

Adam Melnyk is a successful writer and historian for graffiti art in Western Calgary.  He understands the roots of Street Art in Calgary and the issues this movement has faced over the last 15 years.  He can help demonstrate to the public the difference between well-organized legal productions and vandalism.

Druh Farrell: Alderwoman, Ward 7

Druh Farrell has commissioned a street art style mural by Daniel Kirk on the side of her headquarters in Kensington.  As an Alderwoman she understands the communities perspective, and her ward is one of the more progressive areas in Calgary in terms of embracing legal street Art. 

*******: Street Artist

********* has painted in Calgary, all over Canada and Europe.  He was part of Fairstyles crew and did projects in Kensington and with the Mustard Seed.

Format:

A panel discussion with five keynote speakers, hosted by ACAD, taking place April 25 @ 7pm.  Each speaker will have twenty minutes or less to do a power-point presentation on their area of expertise.  Jeanne Ironside will moderate the discussion.  It will be followed by a question and answer period lasting 30 minutes.  There will be a reception in the main mall following the panel discussion.

Benefits:

This panel discussion will help further the development of a constructive street art mandate for the city of Calgary's public art program.  It may lead to revisions on Bylaw, which respects all forms on self- expression in appropriate contexts.  It will give voice to the positive merits of legal street art, and will give the supporters of this art form a chance to interact and strengthen their position. Ultimately it will lead to a more balanced perspective on the issue within the community, as both sides of the argument will have a voice.