Item - 2021.EC25.4

The Economic and Community Development Committee:

1.  Received the report (October 6, 2021) from the Interim General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, the General Manager, Transportation Services and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning for information.

This report outlines programming and engagement plans for ArtworxTO: Toronto's Year of Public Art 2021-2022, along with a summary of anticipated outreach, marketing and media exposure, and evaluation strategy for the project. The report also details plans for the safe delivery of ArtworxTO within the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

ArtworxTO is a year-long, city-wide celebration of art and community, and the launch of the new Toronto Public Art Strategy (2020-2030), adopted by City Council in December 2019. The program celebrates Toronto's collection of public art and the artists behind it, creates more opportunities for artists, and connects residents with public art. The City delivers three core public art programs – the City of Toronto Public Art and Monuments Collection, the Percent for Public Art Program, and StreetARToronto (StART). Together, these programs have had a major impact on the city's urban fabric, assembling a collection of public art that, in the number of works alone, is of international significance. ArtworxTO, as a collaborative project of Transportation Services, City Planning and Economic Development and Culture, builds upon the legacies of these programs.

ArtworxTO has arrived at a critical point for Toronto's cultural sector, with artists experiencing among the greatest losses of income of all employment categories. As such, ArtworxTO investments, as income for artists and arts organizations, and in animating Toronto's neighbourhoods (in close alignment with ShowLoveTO), are making an important contribution to Toronto's economic and cultural recovery.

In order to ensure broad reach and significant impact, ArtworxTO is delivered in close collaboration with Toronto's artists and arts organizations to deliver public art projects in 2021 and 2022. ArtworxTO has over 75 partnership agreements with Toronto institutions, organizations, galleries, and Business Improvement Areas. Funding for new commissions, delivered by both Toronto Arts Council and the City of Toronto programs, offer much-needed support to the city's artists and cultural sector, which have been hit particularly hard by COVID-19.

Based on the objectives described in the Public Art Strategy, a major focus of ArtworxTO is to support City priorities in access and equity as applied to the arts. Building on historic successes for programs such as StreetARToronto, ArtworxTO supports equity and inclusion in both City-led and partner-led projects and ensures support is distributed across the city, building upon the existing strategic goals of the divisions involved. The program includes projects to advance Indigenous place-making, support the work of Black, Indigenous and equity-deserving artists and curators, and provide multigenerational engagement with a focus on youth. To date, 85 percent of the ArtworxTO funded grant program has gone towards equity-deserving-themed or equity-deserving-led projects.

ArtworxTO anticipates leaving a legacy of career advancement for diverse artists, stronger collaboration between arts organizations in the city, new public art works installed across the city with a focus outside the core, and deeper public awareness and engagement with public art in Toronto.