Stories
Sep 12, 2017
Our hearts go out to all those affected by Harvey and Irma. It’s hard to comprehend the devastation, especially to poor and underserved communities who feel the full force of not only the weather, but disproportionately, the aftermath. After physical and material safety has been reestablished, there is still much more work to do. Designers can be... Read More
Sep 11, 2017
What began as a sort of arts-driven guerilla marketing campaign for the fictional return of a historic streetcar in the border communities of El Paso, TX and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, is becoming a reality, a demonstration of the power of art to capture the imagination of a community and help them look at old problems in different... Read More
Sep 15, 2017
When roughly 14 miles of a bus rapid transit line was proposed along Division Street in East Portland, the effort was greeted with interest in an often-neglected area of the city, but also concern about the possibilities of displacement and development poorly engaged with the unique local culture. To address those concerns, community members throughout the Jade... Read More
Sep 20, 2017
For decades, arts leaders have been wringing their hands about graying audiences. But has the challenge of attracting younger audiences caused us to overlook the incredible potential of older adults and the ways the arts can engage them? Have we assumed that older adults can’t or won’t learn new things, try new art forms, or learn to... Read More
Sep 27, 2017
In looking at who does community planning and development in America’s communities, we have found that our colleagues are generally organized into ten sectors: Agriculture & Food, Economic Development, Education & Youth, Environment & Energy, Housing, Immigration, Public Safety, Transportation, and Workforce Development. As a core part of our research agenda, we are exploring how arts and cultural... Read More
Oct 04, 2017
Much has been written about the value of creative placemaking and the absolute necessity to work collectively with the whole community including residents, artists and arts organizations, businesses, elected officials, and, of course, funders. An essential step in realizing your creative placemaking vision is having accurate data that lets you know who and what already exists in... Read More
Oct 10, 2017
In May 2017, the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center finally achieved its goal of creating a communal arts center in the heart of Boston’s historic Chinatown neighborhood. The Pao Arts Center (one of ArtPlace’s 2016 funded projects) officially opened to the public on May 6, with plans to incorporate a wide range of programming and educational initiatives in partnership with other... Read More
Oct 16, 2017
With our focus this month on public safety, the ArtPlace team thought October would be the perfect time to re-introduce one of our most comprehensive deep-dives into the topic: the 2016 field scan titled “Exploring the Ways Arts and Culture Intersect with Public Safety: Identifying Current Practice and Opportunities for Further Inquiry.” The field scan, which was written... Read More
Oct 28, 2017
We are Warm Cookies of the Revolution and we are the world’s first Civic Health Club. Broken down to the essentials, we give a damn about our community and we merge important civic issues with creative and weird programs---just like at a gym for your physical health where you want to see results and feel better, we... Read More
Oct 27, 2017
Marion, IA (population 37,000) is home to a historic commercial district, which has served as the community’s civic and cultural hub for 176 years. A major streetscape project disrupted traffic in Uptown Marion, and city leaders wanted to find ways to help businesses stay afloat during the construction phase. The alleyways have been transformed into welcoming walkways... Read More