Blog
Nov 08, 2018
After a year of doing projects around the country, I am in Summit Lake (Akron) celebrating the League of Creative Interventionists year of work with the community. As the sun sets over the lake, it creates a picturesque view of a 200 person dinner filled with residents, leaders and, Knight Foundation and Reimagining Civic Commons Directors. I wonder, “Why... Read More
Nov 06, 2018
The words “artist” and “bureaucrat” can seem as opposite as the north and south poles. But poets, actors, musicians, dancers, and art-makers of all other stripes have been infiltrating our government’s ranks for years—and many are making great strides. In this story series, we’re visiting with accomplished artists who hold leadership roles in their cities about their... Read More
Oct 30, 2018
Peter Haakon Thompson is a Minneapolis-based artist and the Community Development Coordinator at Springboard for the Arts. For many years, he has initiated and participated in art projects that center community engagement—some while wearing his “artist” hat, and some as an arts administrator. We asked Peter to share some examples of successful creative placemaking ventures he’s been involved with,... Read More
Oct 25, 2018
Amid the opportunities and stressors of gentrification, and facing an existential water crisis, new and longtime residents of bucolic Bozeman, Montana, create and experience public art that amplifies their stories and brings them together. In a rapidly growing western town, indigenous and non-indigenous artists collaborate with ranchers, ecologists, and activists in a poignant performance series about the... Read More
Oct 23, 2018
When the place you live is a disorienting study in contrast—comprising great wealth and great poverty, soaring youthful hopes and debilitating structural realities, deep love and terrible violence—how can you find your voice, make wise decisions, stay grounded in the tumult? F R E E: The Power of Performance is a feature-length documentary film directed and produced by... Read More
Oct 18, 2018
What can the arts and culture do for our communities? A striking answer can be seen in Fargo, North Dakota, where residents came together with artists to show that civic and cultural improvements often go hand-in-hand. The City of Fargo, ND is located near the Red River, which floods seasonally. To manage this, Fargo has built storm water... Read More
Oct 16, 2018
This is the first in a series of guest posts by Judi Jennings called “Asking Tough Questions About Creative Placemaking.” The series will highlight analysis and action ideas from interviews with some of the best minds in placemaking and philanthropy. The interviews are part of the Creative Placemaking From the Community Up project, which is supported by... Read More
Oct 12, 2018
When internationally renowned architect Sir David Adjaye was selected to design a building for an affordable housing nonprofit in New York City, people took notice. When the project included a children’s museum of art and storytelling along with a preschool—in addition to 124 beautifully appointed, permanent living spaces for low-income and formerly homeless people and families—it transformed any preconception of what... Read More
Oct 10, 2018
In 2013, ArtPlace America invested in the implementation of two “Creational Trails” in Milwaukee, a project led by the Greater Milwaukee Committee. Both trail initiatives were intended to address specific problems, both were intensely collaborative, and both employed many of the same partners, including MKE<->LAX consultant Sara Daleiden and the City of Milwaukee. Through a partnership with NEWaukee, the West Wisconsin Avenue Creational... Read More
Oct 04, 2018
Like Riding a Bicycle is the name of our socially engaged art collective. We have been working together since 2014 to empower communities and individuals in the places they live. We are currently working with the Heights Community Development Corporation (CDC) in Memphis, Tennessee, to create community engagement programing that complements the development of a new neighborhood-led multimodal infrastructure project called... Read More