In my daily dose of Spacing Wire this morning, Matthew Blackett articulated similar thoughts I was having yesterday about corporate sponsorship, however his post was in response to a new sponsorship program to add art onto Toronto garbage bins.
Matthew Blackett, Spacing Wire | June 27.07
I believe small projects like the Street Art™ Sponsorship Program only further legitimize ad-funded street furniture because the supplier (in this case Ecomedia) is “giving back†to the community.
Blackett also notes that there are positive aspects to sponsoring the arts (as any starving artist would tell you) but he is right to point out that it’s a complicated situation where companies can benefit for PR purposes. Even if the benevolence is sincere (for the sake of argument), the company’s priority will always be to protect its bottom line.
In my view, the tension that arises within this program are echoed in libraries considering sponsorship deals. While libraries deal with a host of complicated issues with their vendor relationships as well, sponsorship opens the library door to the wider corporate community. This May 14, 2007 TPL staff report notes the library’s criteria for accepting sponsorship funds. Funding for libraries being the ongoing challenge that it is, deciding to accept sponsorship funds is a complicated issue that is best done with lots o’ public debate. Let’s start now. Question: Are libraries upholding their role as social institutions and civic spaces when their policy decisions expose citizens to a marketing campaign in order to enjoy access to public services?
Here are links to the May 14, 2007 TPL board meeting where the museums pass sponsorship proposal was discussed (in a closed meeting…). The board meeting minutes may not be an exciting read, but there they are. Torontonians, check them out. Whether you agree or disagree with library board decisions, no matter what community you call home, being a participant is key. Dr. Sam Trosow’s reflections from the recent LPL board meeting is a testament that.
Coincidentally there is a TPL library board meeting tonight!
Employee and Labour Relations Committee
Toronto Public Library Board - Meeting No. 1:
Thursday, June 28, 2007, 4:00 p.m.
Toronto Reference Library, Board Room, 789 Yonge Street, Toronto
Can’t go? Save the link to the TPL board and read about it.
-PC-