Not only will otherwise bland public spaces be enhanced, but Collins said another benefit of filling in areas is crowding out unwanted graffiti, which costs the City money to remove.
“Adding a wrap to bins, which lasts many, many years, can have a little upfront costs but in the end it sometimes saves us quite a bit of money in terms of labour and time,” Collins said.
The art roster program will see projects assigned on a case-by-case basis for different kinds of public image-making projects, like murals and graphic design.
Successful applicants will be informed next month, while their work will come to fruition next year and in 2023, with Collins hoping the initiative will be around long-term.
Collins noted establishing a talent bank of capable urban artists was advanced by various City departments, who saw the value in adding personality to civic projects around the community.
“Kind of like a bringing together of those different disciplines and the roster is one conduit that can bring those kinds of people together,” Collins said.
Artists in the program will be compensated for their work.
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