AMANDA GOLDEN

Amanda is the Managing Principal and Co-Founder of Designing Local, a cultural strategist, urban planner, curator, and creative placemaker with deep expertise in culturally responsive public art and equitable community engagement. Since 2014, she has championed the belief that public art must authentically reflect its community. Amanda is passionate about designing inclusive processes that amplify underrepresented voices and navigate complex cultural dialogues, ensuring projects are rooted in a shared vision defined by many.

At Designing Local, Amanda spearheads the creation of public art and cultural plans for cities across the US. These plans are distinguished by their emphasis on equitable engagement, which informs every aspect of a project, from its initial vision to the final design.

Amanda has overseen more than 50 public art and cultural plans in 22 different states, directed numerous complex public art commissions, and authored innovative funding policies that have been adopted as city policy. Her leadership on the Mellon-funded Reimagining Columbus project, which navigated a complex public dialogue about the future of the city's Christopher Columbus statue, stands out as a career-defining achievement and one of her most proud accomplishments.

 Key Project Types Include:

  • Arts & Culture / Cultural Plans

  • Creative Placemaking Plans

  • Community Engagement

  • Public Art Plans

  • Public Art Implementation

Amanda holds a Bachelor's and a Master's of City and Regional Planning from The Ohio State University. She is the immediate past chair of the Central Ohio APA Chapter and serves on the City of Columbus Development Commission.