So what is this? My name is Pete Carr. I’m a photographer based in Liverpool. In May 2006 I visited Toronto for 3 weeks. I came away feeling like that was a true “Capital of Culture.” They don’t have a scheduled year for when the spotlight hits them, where they can show off all their culture. Its just a fantastic place to be. Local photographers put on exhibitions all the time. Photobloggers have regular meet ups as Toronto has one of, if not the biggest photoblogging community in the world. Photography there is celebrated and not looked on as a crime as it is becoming so in the UK. The creators of New Mind Space have the freedom to express themselves in some fantastic ways. They decorated Queen Street on Feburary 14th with hearts and love messages just to make people feel happy the next day. They’ve had giant bubble battles, city wide games of capture the flag and massive Easter Egg hunts. There has been large groups of people hugging in public spaces just because they can.
Could this be done in the UK’s Capital of Culture? Of course, why not? The council are currently uprooting the city to turn things into their vision of a capital of culture. Why shouldn’t the people play with the city in a similar way? I’ve seen one instance of Flash mobbing in Liverpool city centre but it was quite small. What we need are large scale projects to make people see that Liverpool culture exists outside of anyone else’s brand. Why should public art be limited to the Biennial? On other days why should it be locked up inside galleries?
To start with I’m planning a photographic scavenger hunt starting on May 1st. Anyone with a camera can enter, be it digital or film. Its nothing to do with what camera you have its all to do with looking at the city in a different way. Photoshop is fine as long as you don’t add anything to the image that wasn’t there already. The hunt will last the month of May giving everyone plenty of time to get out there and take pictures. I will be posting details about this event at a later date. Stay tuned.
We are positively flattered to be mentioned on your new site! It’s funny because here in Toronto we are having a public debate about Toronto as a “Global capital of style”, how the city is so bad at marketing itself, and how we ought to take it into our own hands.
We wish you the best of luck :)
Ha, you finally did it. :)
Well done mate! I wish you all the best in your new-newmindspace quest!
Maybe when you return to Toronto, we can get newmindspace to have a streetcar party in your honour or something.. LOL!
“Photography there is celebrated and not looked on as a crime as it is becoming so in the UK”
Is this true? How? Why? I have no reason to see that photography is being looked on as a crime. Your statement seems a bit unsubstantiated and by writing such exaggerated nonsense it gives the post less credit.
The BBC are actively encouraging the public to take photos and send them in - whether they are of first hand accounts of news stories or cute wildlife competitions. I don’t see this encouragement as a crime.
Many times I’ve been told I can’t take photos due to anti-terrorism laws. Its crazy. If I was really a terrorist I’d use a mobile phone camera so I don’t stand out. There was an incident in London where a guy was searched for taking photos of Parliament. There were reports of signs being put up in London park’s suggesting that photographers are pedophiles. My friend got called a pedo when he was taking macro shots of flowers. It is a crazy world.