Times Square is a hub of tourist attractions crammed in to a few city blocks. Most noteworthy are the people dressed in costumes. They personify cartoon characters such as Spiderman and Mickey Mouse, and pose for photographs with passing tourists in an attempt to solicit a few dollars in tips.
Then there are the Chinese street artists, who set up small stands by the edge of the sidewalk to sell caricatures and other works of art.
These attractions characterize the famous culture of Times Square. Costume workers, however, have been known to be especially aggressive in their solicitation of tourists. In the fight against “quality of life” crimes, Mayor Bill de Blasio decided to take action by dispatching 100 more police officers to monitor the area, as reported by the Global Times.
As a byproduct of the increased law enforcement presence, street artists began to receive more tickets. Although the artists are technically exempt from vendor-licensing requirements due to First Amendment protected rights, there are certain rules that they must abide by as outlined by Sergeant Brendan Ryan in an email to China Daily. Artists, for example, must be situated at the curb when they sell and they cannot vend within a taxi stand or bus stop. Furthermore, they should not be within 10 feet of any entranceway and 10 feet of any driveway, corner or subway entrance.
In an attempt to keep to these rules, many Chinese artists found themselves at the mercy of the police department. In September 2015, sidewalk artists decided to fight back by gathering in Zuccotti Park to protest. They stood alongside the Street Vendor Project, an organization dedicated to fighting for the rights of street vendors in New York City.
Caricature artist in Central Park
The cause was especially important to sidewalk artists who make a living from selling artwork to tourists. They have been regarded as a fixture of Times Square as early as the '80s. At that time, sidewalk artists were composed of a much smaller group of technically-trained individuals.
In recent years, however, amateur artists have also entered the scene, creating a fierce level of competition between different sellers. Many are Chinese immigrants without a technical background in art. Because most do not have a grasp of the English language, it's difficult for them to work for companies or organizations. As a result, they quickly pick up drawing skills as a way to support their families.
