Anti-Bloomberg/Benepe Poster Unveiled In Fight Against New Parks Department Artist Vending Rules

New York City street artists are escalating their fight against the proposed Parks Department regulations on expressive matter vendors, according to Examiner.Com.   

In Union Square Park, vendors started displaying "Artist Power!" signs on their stands last weekend. Many plan to attend the community board hearings tonight and tomorrow.

Robert Lederman, president of the street art advocacy group A.R.T.I.S.T., unveiled a new poster today that accuses Mayor Bloomberg of violating street artists' First Amendment rights.

"Bloomberg is killing New York City street art," reads the headline. "He wants to steal our First Amendment rights of free speech."

These bold statements appear over the jarring image of a skeleton.

The proposed Parks Department restrictions would limit the number of vendors who sell "expressive matter" in four popular Manhattan parks.

The "expressive matter" label includes street artists selling their own work, as well as vendors selling books, writings and other protected materials.

>>Learn more about the proposed Parks Department restrictions by reading the first article in this series: "Union Square artist market threatened by new Parks Department rules"

Defiant message

Lederman emailed the poster to Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe on Tuesday afternoon. His message read:

Dear Commissioner Benepe,
Exactly as predicted, you will be seeing a lot of creativity unleashed in USP [Union Square Park], Central Park and elsewhere thanks to your latest misguided efforts against street artists.

See attached sign by one of many USP artists now getting busy on this. It is being printed in the hundreds right now. You have awakened the artists.

Keep up the good work!

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New York street artists unveil anti-Bloomberg poster in fight against Parks Department rules

Examiner.com - April 6, 2010 - By Leslie Koch