Paul Ramirez Jonas: Key to the City

What if anyone could decide who has freedom to the city?

What if everyone, not just the chosen few, could be recognised with the Key to the City of Birmingham?

What if this Key could open dozens of spaces around the city?

And what if all those spaces together created a portrait of Birmingham?

Key to the City is a project that turns all these “what ifs” into reality. During the summer of 2022 anyone will be able to award the Key to the City to whomever they want, for whatever reason they want. No background checks necessary, all previous sins will be overlooked, and all doors will be unlocked. For a limited time, a minimum of 12,000 key holders will be able to explore private and intriguing places and spaces that they might not have happened on before – bringing a new perspective to the city.

Paul Ramirez’s Key to The City in New York (2010) was a citywide intervention in which twenty-five thousand keys to private or normally inaccessible spaces throughout New York City were bestowed on certain individuals in a special ceremony, revealing that culture can still be a freely shared experience, while also highlighting the increasing privatisation of urban space.

Full details to be announced soon. Visit Fierce's website for more info.

Birmingham 2022 presents Key to the City
by Paul Ramírez Jonas
Produced by Fierce
Proudly sponsored by Yale