The Downtown East Side is a neighbourhood that was not invited to the Olympic buffet — at least its residents weren’t. As the poorest community in Canada, the Olympic games are largely an unaffordable party that views their neighbourhood as a potential “public relations embarrassment” rather than vibrant albeit troubled home.

What was once an empty lot among the ruin of storefronts along the East Hastings corridor (a few steps from Insite, North America’s only safe injection site), is now a community garden owned by the Portland Hotel Society. And for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, the garden has been filled with art to create a little urban oasis with found objects and recycled materials.

The garden was created over the last 300 days largely by DTES resident Jim — who was unavailable to be interviewed on the day that I visited. I spoke briefly with Dominique, one of the artists who helped to make the art garden happen.

http://artthreat.net/2010/02/art-garden-east-hastings/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00pr54s/In_Our_Time_The_Frankfurt_School/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8436745.stm

As the Creative City model for urban regeneration founders on the rocks of the recession, and the New Labour public art commissioning frenzy it triggered recedes, Anthony Iles and Josephine Berry Slater take stock of an era of highly instrumentalised public art making. Focusing on artists and consultants who have engaged critically with the exclusionary politics of urban regeneration, their analysis locates such practice within a schematic history of urban development’s neoliberal mode. Breaking down into a report and collection of interviews, this investigation consistently focuses on the possibility and forms of critical public art within a regime that fetishises ‘creativity’ whilst systematically destroying the preconditions for it in its pursuit of capital accumulation. How, they ask, is critical art shaped by its interaction with this aspect of biopolitical governance?

http://linkmeto.it/tdfk

Are you pleased you didn’t end up designing a range for Debenhams?
It seems more and more likely that designing for a big brand is a route I’ll have to take, since I can’t reach my full potential as a designer with zero finance. But “just going along with it” doesn’t compute with me so that’s just not going to happen. I’d be lost without sticking to my beliefs.

Here’s a link to the full article and some good quote.

http://www.viceland.com/fashion/2009/12/pam-hogg-hasnt-designed-for-debenhams/

10 principles for creating and ordering a blockbuster sporting spectacle:

impacts on the city itself

The sport event in question should increase general awareness of the hosting city nationally and internationally. The event should be used to try to develop and promote particular disadvantaged locations and places, instead of promoting established popular tourist destinations.

Therefore, the location choice for this event should be seen as an outcome of a calculated decision.

(urban) development policy

A “bottom up” approach is essential in creating urban development policy. The development policy and strategy must always reflect on the locals social needs. The implemantations of programmes should be made in small steps, instead of bringing mega investment project that are rather unreasonable in a long term. Regeneration is not necessarily restructuring.

economic sustainability/ employment

The contiguity between the mega investment in sporting spectacle and their positive effects on overall economic activity and employment in long the term should call into question. Reasonable efforts should be undertaken to ensure that investments at sporting events should stay within the local economy. Also the flow of public money to private investors should be strictly controlled. The creation of long term work should be encouraged rather than temporary jobs in the minimisation of limited source employment. A special emphasis should be put on the question how newly created jobs benefit local people.

infrastructure

In the case of a metropol hosting an event, the necessary infrastructure would most probably be in place already. If that were not the case, a small and less developed city with limited infrastructure should be choosen. This would then be an opportunity to uplift the community.

social environment

Locals social needs deserve particular attention. The forthcoming changes in local’s living conditions should seriously be considered in advance. Potentional and actual social impacts must be monitored and evaluated before and during the event.

ecological sustainability / environment

Special attention should be paid to the unique features and characteristics of the location. Ecological attributes as well as the districts historical and cultural past and present must be considered by planning the subsequent developments necessary for the event in the given area.

housing

Forced evictions and displacement of communities, residents and tenants due to necessary constructions must be prevented. Rather than the removal of homeless people,  facilities should be provided, and efforts made to consult with the people involved. Housing policy can not be based on ethnicity. Effects of increasing housing costs should be considered in advance and access to affordable housing should be provided for locals.

public ( communal) spaces

Demolition of public spaces should be viewed very critically. In the construction and regeneration of new and existing public spaces, national wildlife can and should be added.

transparency and participation of locals

The opportunity should be given and locals should be encouraged to participate in the environmental decision making process while developing the project. During the whole project and particulary at stages that affecting social issues, local communities should be consulted. The opportunity should always be provided to locals to propose alternatives.

support access of local communities

The attendance of locals at the sporting event should be encouraged and supported with various discounts. Beyond the mega event several smaller sport events could be organised addressed to local communities.