The Gateway Cities Creative Placemaking Summit

Slideshow from the Creative Placemaking Summit

By The Word Syndicate

Thanks to our webcast sponsors:

Webcast Replay (in four parts)

This day long conference will bring together leaders from 12 Gateway Cities to explore how to utilize arts and culture initiatives as key economic drivers. The day includes:

• Remarks by Lt. Governor Tim Murray, and Anne Gadwa Nicodemus Author, “Creative Placemaking” – White Paper for The Mayor’s Institute on City Design, National Endowment for the Arts;
• A mayors’ roundtable including Fitchburg Mayor Lisa Wong; Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse; New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell; and Worcester City Manager Michael O’Brien; and
• Workshop presentations involving other municipal, business, and arts and culture leaders

The National Endowment for the Arts describes creative placemaking as a strategy for public and private partners to work together to shape the physical and social character of a neighborhood, town, city, or region through arts and cultural activities. Creative placemaking animates public and private spaces, rejuvenates structures and streetscapes, improves local business viability and public safety, and brings diverse people together to celebrate, inspire, and be inspired.

Massachusetts’ Gateway Cities, united in their economic challenges and potential, are at various stages of progress in their use of creative placemaking. An October 2011 poll by the MassINC Polling Group shows that residents strongly support these efforts – 70 percent of Gateway City residents surveyed believe that arts and culture events and activities are extremely or very important to their communities.

Throughout the summit, local leaders will be joined by national arts and culture experts, state and federal officials, artists, practitioners, and entrepreneurs all focused on the practical aspects of advancing these transformative projects.