An official body - the Graffiti Panel - made up of five Toronto city staffers met for the first time this month to try to answer the long debated question: what is art and what is vandalism?
With backgrounds in "the arts, urban design, architecture and other relevant disciplines," the city staffers that comprise Toronto's recently formed Graffiti Panel have been asked to weigh in on which of the city's graffiti is art, and deserving of protection, and which is vandalism.
According to Larry Humber, "The first session was contentious but civil, with panel members facing
off against property owners who were appealing notices of violation for 'markings' on their buildings. 'Even if it's Picasso, you're not allowed
to paint on other people's walls,' says Elyse Parker, a city official
who is leading Toronto's crackdown on graffiti."
There is precedent in the city for the protection of street art, however, with the City Council having "already given its blessing to what is known as Graffiti
Alley, a series of colourful backstreets only a few blocks from City
Hall."
If the panel's first meeting is any indication, offering clear guidance will be a difficult task. "One building owner appeared with
his lawyer to defend his graffiti covered walls, more than happy to let
them stay," reports Humber. "The panel wasn't so sure, first opting to defer judgement,
then reopening the matter before deferring it yet again. The owner was
asked to reappear at the next session on 30 November. 'You can't win,'
he said."
FULL STORY: Graffiti: is it art or vandalism?
Toronto Condo Sales Drop 75%
In two of Canada’s most expensive cities, more condos were built than ever — and sales are plummeting.
The Most Popular Tree on Google?
Meet Rodney: the Toronto tree getting rave reviews.
Expanding the Concept of Transit-Oriented Development: Lessons from Abroad
Keeping transit planning and development siloed can limit opportunities to build affordable housing and vibrant neighborhoods.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
Can We Please Give Communities the Design They Deserve?
Often an afterthought, graphic design impacts everything from how we navigate a city to how we feel about it. One designer argues: the people deserve better.
Engineers Gave America's Roads an Almost Failing Grade — Why Aren't We Fixing Them?
With over a trillion dollars spent on roads that are still falling apart, advocates propose a new “fix it first” framework.
The European Cities That Love E-Scooters — And Those That Don’t
Where they're working, where they're banned, and where they're just as annoying the tourists that use them.
Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Borough of Carlisle
Smith Gee Studio
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)