Placemaking

• Placemaking is a collaborative and creative process to help communities transform public spaces. Learn more about Placemaking as a Safe & Active Streets strategy.

• Research has found that placemaking activities improved either the functionality and/or aesthetic of a space, which in turn attracted more people to the area. Placemaking was found to increase the variety of activities in a location, including a shift from necessary to more recreational and social activities. i

Placemaking & Public Art

• There is growing evidence for the benefits of placemaking which includes art interventions in public space.

  • Health benefits include improved wellbeing and mental health, improved social relations, community cohesion, building civic pride, connection to place-based culture, stronger civic participation and greater use of public space. ii

  • Public art can foster a sense of belonging to place, it is an important way that communities express collective identity, shared values and build meaning. Further, the act of generating artwork can build relationships in a community. iii

Creative placemaking strategies, in parallel with social engagement, can be used to infuse innovation and creativity into community development initiatives. Those interested in exploring case studies and strategies for bring arts & culture to their planning work should explore the Arts & Planning Toolkit.

Citations

i Project for Public Spaces (2020) What is Placemaking? https://www.pps.org/category/placemaking

ii Anne-Marie Bagnall, et al. (2018) Places, Spaces, People and Wellbeing: Full Review. https://whatworkswellbeing.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Places-spaces-people-wellbeing-full-report-MAY2018-1_0119755600.pdf

iii Metropolitan Area Planning Council (2022) Arts & Planning Toolkit: Public Art. https://artsandplanning.mapc.org/community-development/public-art/