“Impossible/Possible: Businesses That Could Be”

“Impossible/Possible: Businesses That Could Be”

Bloor West | Dufferin | Lansdowne | Osler
Proposed project for 2006/7

Bloor Street West had a large number of failed, failing and struggling business. This project proposes to work with the vacant and underused storefronts in ways that image alternate possibilities, provide opportunity for wide local participation and help vitalize the appearance of the area to encourage a renewed sense of itself. Our project makeover efforts transforms store windows into art intervention exhibition spaces curated on the theme “Impossible/Possible: Businesses That Could Be”. We image ideas for storefronts that might included art exhibitions, restaurants based on the colour of food, an inconvenience store that never sells the same thing, a campaign office for a theoretical political candidate… The ideas and possibilities are wide-ranging – the project can mix the beautiful and exciting with the absurd. The storefronts projects are intended as incubator for ideas and community building. They will provide opportunities for the local community, artists, business, crafts and trade people, youth to begin to create a village, encourage new business to take shape and inspire and invigorate established businesses.

The street will become a destination to explore – a reason for a walk.