40 years of sticking up for creativity on the street

AUCKLAND, Today: “Dear Ed,” writes Phantom Billstickers’ Robin McDonnell. “Forty years ago, our first poster was pasted onto a wall.

“It was the first of many promoting concerts, gigs and art from people who wanted to make New Zealand a more vibrant place.

“In 2022, Phantom is still sticking up for creativity in Aotearoa, with posters featuring everything from poetry to photography. This continuity is no accident.

“Phantom’s distinctive business model means that revenue from commercial campaigns supports a raft of creative initiatives and sponsorships that make the streets a more stimulating environment.

“And it’s not just one or two showcase sponsorships, either.

“Over the past 12 months, Phantom has given pride of place to a huge range of local voices and visions. All this during a year when the disruption of Covid lockdowns meant outdoor advertising and the arts sector came under severe financial pressure.

“Here’s a quick look at some of the artists and initiatives supported by Phantom over the last year or so …

“We partnered with Amplifier, a not-for-profit artistic thinktank, to bring some stunningly positive pro-vaccination posters to the streets of Aotearoa within days of the Delta outbreak.

“Later this year, that four-decade story will be published in a book by Phantom. The title is telling: You Can’t Put That There.”

“Te Awhi Rito New Zealand Reading Ambassador is a unique role that’s been created to spark a love of the written word amongst young people. Poet Ben Brown is the first ambassador and Phantom is his sponsor. As well as funding the position, Phantom is providing free poster space for Ben’s poems.

“Phantom is also the enabler behind New Zealand’s biggest poetry event – Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day. Last August there were readings, open mics, competitions and virtual events across the country – plus quite a lot of poems on posters in extremely visible places.

“They’re simply the latest in a long line of poem posters by Phantom – more than 400 at last count.

“At the same time, Phantom is inspiring the artists and designers of the future. One vehicle for visual creativity is the Great Kiwi Poster Competition.

“The two most recent poster competitions have been on the themes of racism and climate change. Some stunning designs were submitted, with some very talented artists given exposure in Phantom’s frames.

“Partnering with city councils provides yet another opportunity for creativity to flourish on the street.

“Over the past year, Phantom has showcased individual artists on a prime Christchurch site (Watch This Space), and worked with Auckland City Council on MAP Projects, which feature works by emerging artists in our largest city.

“Phantom is also the enabler behind New Zealand’s biggest poetry event – Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day.

“The idea is that more people (and different types of people) walk past posters than go into art galleries. So the arts should be there too.

“Recent collaborations with Auckland Arts Festival have taken the concept further, with the Spoken Walls series outside the Auckland Central Library that brought the words of rangatahi to a new audience.

“At the same time, Phantom has worked with street poets on a project called Rough Lives Speak.

“You’ll find that people living rough in Auckland often have amazing stories to tell. What they don’t have is an audience. Phantom can help with that.

“It’s a 12-month snapshot of artistic collaboration built on a 40-year mission to support creativity.

“Later this year, that four-decade story will be published in a book by Phantom. The title is telling: You Can’t Put That There. They’re words that Phantom’s founder Jim Wilson has heard countless times, harking back to his first street poster runs in the early ’80s.

“Watch this space to find out when the Phantom book is published.

“And keep watching the streets for more creative disruption in Phantom frames.”

• 0800phantom.co.nz