While placemaking often emphasizes the role that public spaces play in supporting community well-being, the public realm is also a vital place of politics.
From publicly-owned spaces, where freedom of speech and assembly are protected rights, to privately-owned third places where critical civic actions take place—like the lunch counter protests of the Civil Rights movement or the countless church-basements organizing meetings around the country—the public realm serves a vital double duty as both our social and civic infrastructure. These two types of infrastructure have the potential to create a virtuous cycle of community-building, but in some downtowns civic and social life compete for space, while in some neighborhoods both are underserved.
At a time when fundamental rights feel under threat, join a panel of national leaders in the fields of civic engagement, civil liberties, and public space for a discussion about how placemaking can actively support civic life in the public realm, from town squares to third places to vacant spaces.
[Sliding scale of registration pricing so that this event can be accessible to individuals and organizations of varying budgets. Book.]