Decided Oct. 10, 1996. Such unjustified and bigoted complaints about artists would be an embarrassment in any civilized society, let alone in the self-proclaimed art capital of the world. It's time for SoHo to accept that there is a First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and that it vigorously protects the rights of artists. Over thousands of years artistic freedom has withstood assaults from countless dictators, elites and self-righteous censors. As long as there is a SoHo there will be artists creating, displaying and offering, in freedom, their creations on its streets.
Artists are SoHo's greatest resource.
Artists, not landlords or cast iron buildings, are what give SoHo its vitality, color and depth. Artists are what makes SoHo more than just another non-descript shopping mall.