In the past international meetings have been marred by violence. But Scott Harris, an activist from Edmonton, says art has played a critical role in recent North American protests.
"All the protests we've seen, whether it's been through banners or giant puppets, or radical cheerleaders, street theatre – all kinds of things – it's a really effective way to get the message out."
He says peaceful forms of protest draw attention away from the violence at international meetings, and back to the real issues.
Lynette Bondarchuk, a visual artist based in Edmonton, wants art to be more visible if there are clashes between police and protesters.
"Protest art has been around as long as people have been around. So we could throw a rock through a window, but isn't it better to express ourselves through pictures and words?"
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