An artist-run centre in Windsor's Ford City has taken down a public art installation after a dispute with its landlord, leaving artists and community members grappling with questions about artistic independence and public space.
Billboard taken down amid lease dispute
The large white, text-based sign — part of the Arts Council Windsor and Region's New Voices Billboard project — had been mounted on the exterior of Artcite in Ford City and displayed the message:
“Windsor had drag queens before you existed”
Artcite, the non-profit artist-run centre that hosted the installation, said in a Facebook post that the building owner told them the wording violated the lease. The organisation disagreed with that assessment but removed the piece from the wall to preserve the artistic integrity of the New Voices program while it seeks a new outdoor location.
New Voices Billboard: purpose and history
The New Voices Billboard is intended to amplify the work of local artists from underrepresented communities. According to posts by the Windsor-Essex Community Foundation and Artcite, the billboard was originally launched in 2021 and was relaunched in June for a one-year run with grant funding.
Artcite said the exhibition titled Windsor Had Drag Queens Before You Existed will continue to be shown inside the organisation's lobby until Aug. 18 while staff and partners search for an alternative site in Ford City for the outdoor component.
- Installation removed from Artcite's exterior after landlord raised lease concerns.
- Indoor display will remain until Aug. 18 at Artcite's lobby.
- Organisers seek a new outdoor home for the New Voices Billboard in Ford City.
Owner non-responsive, organisers seek new location
Attempts by CBC to contact the building owner, Michael Difazio, were unsuccessful; multiple phone calls, emails and in-person visits went unanswered, according to the report.
Artcite framed the decision to take down the billboard as a necessary move to protect the artistic independence of the Arts Council Windsor and Region's New Voices Program. The centre said it was working toward finding a new site in Ford City where participating artists could continue to present work as intended.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Project | New Voices Billboard (Arts Council Windsor and Region) |
| Message displayed | “Windsor had drag queens before you existed” |
| Original launch | 2021 |
| Relaunch | June (one-year relaunch with grant) |
| Indoor showing | Artcite lobby until Aug. 18 |
For Windsor residents, the episode raises familiar tensions between property rights and the role of public art in civic life. Ford City, a neighbourhood with a growing arts presence, has become a focal point for cultural programming in recent years, and the displacement of an outdoor artwork there may affect how local organisations plan future public-facing projects.
Artcite and the Arts Council's New Voices initiative are positioned to support underrepresented artists by offering prominent public space for short-term interventions. The removal of the billboard on landlord grounds interrupts that visibility at a moment when local artists rely on such platforms to reach broader audiences.
Organisers say the exhibition will continue inside and that they are actively working to relocate the billboard within Ford City, underscoring a commitment to keeping the project accessible to the neighbourhood where it was relaunched.
As the search for a new outdoor site continues, the incident will be watched by artists, advocates and civic stakeholders interested in the capacity of Windsor's public realm to accommodate provocative work and the degree to which landlords and building owners influence what appears on their facades.
Public conversations about freedom of expression, cultural representation and the practicalities of mounting outdoor art are likely to follow as the New Voices Billboard seeks a new home in Ford City.
