Placemaking Resources

Creative placemaking is the process of supporting planners and artists to create public spaces that promote arts, cultures, social interactions, and economic environments to create a healthy and thriving community.

Examples of creative placemaking projects around the US:

Seattle, WA: Urban ArtWorks

Started in 1995, Seattle's Urban ArtWorks employs, trains, and mentors at-risk community youth to create murals that engage the community.  

Los Angeles CA: Los angeles poverty department skid row

In 1985 performer and activist John Malpede set out to establish an organization that could help Skid Row residents tell their stories through artistic expression; with the hopes of ending negative stereotypes and decriminalizing poverty.

Boston Ma: Berkley Community Garden

The gardens are open to the public and offer a unique opportunity for a diverse community to preserve their neighborhood and feed their families, thus engaging residents through collaborative work and fellowship

More Resources and Information on Creative Placemaking:

Project for public places

Project for public spaces inspires people to collectively reimagine and reinvent public spaces for the community. They believe that public spaces strengthen the community by maximizing on shared spaces and connecting everyone through the creative process. Along with providing a better urban design, they look to build upon physical, cultural, and social identities to promote a healthy community.

Check out Project for public space’s Eleven Principles for creating great community places   

American planning association

APA creates an environment where planners and artists can make a tremendous difference in the quality of an environment by overcoming language and culture barriers. APA is partnering with Boston’s Metropolitan Area Planning Council, Americans for the Arts, and the Townscape Institute to expand best practices, tools, case studies, and networking opportunities to support partnerships between planners and artists. 

 LISc

LISC works to give opportunities to everyone by pushing aside obstacles by supporting local economies, empowering people, and transforming public places. LISC believes that creative placemaking is a strategic action by cross-sector partners, a place-based orientation, and a core of arts and cultural activities. By supporting creative placemaking, LISC believes that our communities will grow and more connected then every before.

National endowment for the arts

NEA believes that artists, designers, and cultural organizations play an essential role in realizing community-driven transformation. Community development strategies that integrate arts and culture are better equipped to draw upon and support existing community assets, preserve and enhance the authentic character of place, and ensure equitable outcomes for local stakeholders. They believe that the arts promote healthy environments and opportunities for everyone.

Click here for The Validating Arts and Livability Indicators (VALI) Study: Results and Recommendations for more information.

Library of the Future

Library of the Future believes that creative placemaking brings together partners from public, private, ono-profit, and community sectors to strategically shape the physical and social character of a public space through arts and cultural activities. Creative placemaking projects build strong, healthy, and resilient communities and drive social change by integrating the arts into broader community revitalization and placemaking efforts. Projects can work to address negative social trends like housing vacancy, or accelerate positive trends like providing community members with higher-paying jobs.  

Merits Arts Consulting

The Merits Arts Consulting provides a list of books and references providing statistics and information about the effects of creative placemaking. From social effects to economic, these books show the importance of revamping and reinventing public spaces.