Old East Village in London, ON, is famous for its heritage charm and unique houses, as well its commercial corridor with eclectic shopping, dining and cultural experiences. Thanks to a beautification program organized by the Old East Village Business Improvement Area (BIA), the community has also gained recognition as a destination for vibrant public art.

But just a few years ago, the neighbourhood was a much darker place. Downtown businesses watched as traffic dwindled from restrictions due to COVID-19 and the impact of a major construction project. With storefronts boarded up and sidewalks fenced off, the Old East Village was missing its usual spark.

“It was a really difficult time for our community,” says Jen Pastorius, manager of the Old East Village Business Improvement Area.

To help revitalize the area, the Old East Village BIA received $79,000 from the Government of Canada’s $23.25-million investment in My Main Street through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario). The Old East Village BIA received this funding as part of the My Main Street Community Activator program, administered by the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI), to support local projects that help drive business and restore vitality to local communities across southern Ontario.

With funding from FedDev Ontario, the Old East Village BIA commissioned ten artists to create five large-scale murals on high-profile locations along Dundas Street—the economic and social hub of the area.

Project organizers selected artists with deep roots in the community. Moreover, the project paired experienced mentors with younger mentees, a process which encouraged the artists to form new relationships and grow their networks. Not only did the artists collaborate with one another, but they also worked with the property owners.

“There was a lot of conversation around what story was to be told through the art and how it represents the property ownership and the businesses that are located there,” says Pastorius.

The spirit of collaboration is evident in the murals. Amsa Yaro was a mentor who worked with artist Rain Bloodworth on the mural at K-Laba, a Black-owned hair and beauty salon that has become a centre for the LGBTQ2S+ community. Their mural depicts people from a range of communities, each with a butterfly to symbolize their uniqueness.

The visual impact of the murals was amplified by a series of unveiling events, where the public could watch the murals being painted in real time. The events took place during “Only in OEV Fridays”—an ongoing series that attracts visitors to the area. In order to support the local businesses as much as possible, the Old East Village BIA encouraged them to set up vending tables, free of charge. At least 75 people attended each of the five unveiling events, and business owners noted that the initiative helped them make connections with new customers.

“People were really excited about getting back out onto the street again and having outdoor events,” says Pastorius.

Before the My Main Street program was announced, the mural project lived on a wish list; the BIA simply did not have the funds to make it a reality.

“So when this funding became available, we recognized that we were able to do all these amazing things with one program,” says Pastorius. “We could pay artists fairly for their work, and we could provide the opportunity for collaboration between partners who otherwise wouldn’t have collaborated. We created these beautification opportunities, as well as events for our community to rejoin again after COVID. All of that was possible because of the My Main Street funding.”

Photo Credit: Adi Bernadini, Old East Village BIA

Photo Caption: “Artists Pamela Scharback (left) and Andres Garzon (right) work on a mural featuring traditional Vietnamese imagery on the side of Vietnam Restaurant"