I Had a Dream
If you've ever been to Newtown in Sydney, you'll know the "I Have A Dream" mural, which has occupied a prominent spot on King street (the main thoroughfare) for 20 years.
It's a remarkable mural, not only because it was created "illegally" (no permissions, no Council approval, no funding), but also because it has survived the creeping gentrification of the local area for such a long time. This is largely due to the special place it has in the hearts of locals, who are fiercely protective of the mural. The message of Martin Luther King's iconic "I have a dream" speech is about tolerance and acceptance of each other, no matter who we are. You could say that the Martin Luther King mural has been adopted as the unofficial symbol of Newtown, as these are the values that define living in the inner west.
Please see our blog entry at http://www.dynamicscreencontent.com.au/content/i-had-dream-0
- Dynamic Screen Content's blog
- Login or register to post comments
Comments
Re: I Had a Dream
HI diannem
Thanks for reading the blog and thanks for your response!
Yes Telstra owns the square - and in the mid 1990s the mural was under threat when Telstra (then Telecom) proposed a redevelopment of their exchange that would have encroached on the square and blocked out the mural. There was a bit of community action and support from the Council of the time, and the mural was saved.
We haven't approached Telstra for comment just yet...but its something that we will explore if we gain extra funding to make a longer version of this doco
Liz
Re: I Had a Dream
I read the full blog in your website. Have you tried approaching Telstra - the square is after all called Telstra Square not that its widely publicised.
Cheers