Fairfield Town Center Placemaking Strategy
Fairfield, Ohio
WHY
The Fairfield Placemaking Strategy tackles the revitalization of the Fairfield Town Center. The Fairfield Placemaking Strategy was developed through a collaborative process involving community members, business owners, and local officials. The team conducted extensive research, including surveys, interviews, and site visits, to identify the unique assets and challenges of the Town Center.
HOW
Through the planning process Designing Local developed recommendations that focus on incorporating placemaking principles to cultivate a welcoming and lively atmosphere. This includes improvements to signage, pedestrian accessibility, and public spaces, along with considerations for infill development that aligns with the town’s brand identity.
WHAT
By implementing these suggestions, the Fairfield Town Center aspires to become a central point for commerce and a gathering place for residents of all ages and backgrounds. The plan was completed in April 2024. This project demonstrates Designing Local’s ability to provide a guide for transforming the area into the vibrant hub of the community.
Danville Arts & Culture Plan
Danville, Virginia
WHY
To build upon the creative energies in the City of Danville a 10-year strategic arts and culture plan to formalize and operationalize the people and organizations already doing arts and culture work in Danville. The plan includes a well-defined vision, analysis, and brand for publicly supported art of all kinds within the City of Danville. The plan is intentional in weaving more opportunities for residents and visitors to enjoy the arts and Danville’s culture.
HOW
Thirty-five leaders in the sector were interviewed about their vision for the Cultural Arts Program. Stakeholders included arts organization leadership, elected officials, city department heads, and local arts business owners. Focus groups were also held with arts leaders from various organizations. Members of the public were engaged in a number of activities, including sharing their ideas for arts and culture and considering public art types and locations. The public was also given the opportunity to contribute directly to a survey, which received 181 responses.
Strategies were defined to target the needs and desires of specific community profiles to provide city leadership with a roadmap for implementation that serves all creators, consumers, and advocates of arts and culture.
WHAT
While participants shared the overall quality of arts and culture in Danville was average, there was a hunger for more—specifically, live music and theater and community arts events and festivals and iconic public art. Through the implementation of the arts and cultural experiences outlined in the plan, Danville will have a roadmap for how to capitalize on their growing tourism market drawing visitors and artists from the region while supporting creatives and cultural organizers at the local level.
Woodstock Public Art Program
Woodstock, Georgia
WHY
In Woodstock, Public Art has the opportunity to capture public sentiments and community themes by bringing them into more compelling forms through artistic expression. Over the past decade, Woodstock has made tremendous progress in developing a city-wide collection of public art. Recognized widely for its downtown and distinctive approach to planning and development, By formalizing a city-run public art program, Woodstock will be able to recommit to its concentration on arts and culture as a method for furthering economic development as outlined in the 2018 Economic Development Plan adopted by City Council.
HOW
Through Public art, Woodstock can honor city history, values, and identity in a way that enhances and creates vibrancy for its residents and visitors. Public art in Woodstock has the potential to transform the everyday city fabric into well-loved and cherished public and private spaces. The Woodstock Public Art Program envisions a vibrant and enriching public art landscape that reflects the city’s unique heritage, values, and aspirations. Through a collaborative process that empowers artists, engages residents, and celebrates diverse perspectives.
WHAT
This Public Art Program is a fulfillment of the vision to establish a public art program as part of the 2018 plan. The Public Art Program will also serve to strengthen the relationship between the City and organizations such as Visit Woodstock GA and Woodstock Arts, both unique drivers and deliverers of the high quality of life in Woodstock. Finally, the public art program was developed to assist the City of Woodstock in understanding and navigating a growing arts space and visual identity, providing guidance on administration, policy, and procedures, and ultimately a suite of ideas that will catapult the city into the next phase of its public art journey.
Queen Creek Arts & Placemaking Plan
Queen Creek, Arizona
WHY
Queen Creek, located in the southeastern region of Arizona, has a rich and vibrant history that stretches back to its earliest inhabitants, the Hohokam people. The Downtown Queen Creek Art and Placemaking Plan aims to give the Town of Queen Creek the tools to transform the built environment of the Downtown area using public art and placemaking. Queen Creek is well known for its agricultural legacy that continues to the present day. Art and placemaking will continue to connect and celebrate that legacy, cementing the identity of the community in the eyes of residents and visitors.
HOW
Our vision is for public art and placemaking to transform Downtown Queen Creek into an interactive, unique, and vibrant community center. Art and placemaking features encourage residents and visitors to get out and explore the community on two feet or two wheels. These features create destinations and interest in the built environment. Queen Creek is well known for its agricultural legacy that continues to the present day. Art and placemaking could continue to connect and celebrate that legacy, cementing the identity of the community in the eyes of residents and visitors.
WHAT
The Arts and Placemaking Plan creates a vision for transforming Downtown Queen Creek into an interactive, unique, and vibrant community center. As many venues are outside of the Downtown Core, specific focus was on recommendations that contribute to Queen Creek's agritainment identity. Connect to and display our natural environment. As a community with a rich history but also a dynamic future, art and placemaking elements can build upon and deepen the story of Queen Creek for residents and visitors.
Richmond International Airport Public Art Plan
Richmond, Virginia
WHY
The Art in the Airport program at Richmond International Airport (RIC) strives to complement and promote the dynamic regional culture of the State of Virginia, with an emphasis on the Richmond Metropolitan area, while reinforcing the image of RIC as an inclusive and welcoming gateway to the world. The three main objectives are to enhance the air travel experience of RIC visitors by creating an ambiance in the airport that reflects the sophistication and cultural diversity of the region and supports local artists and institutions by creating and managing rotating exhibitions, fine and performing art series that are customized for RIC.
HOW
Designing Local was selected to bring our unique set of skills, professional experience, and insight in the development of the Art in the Airport program at RIC. Engaging the community, art and artists, and our proven ability to develop a multi-cultural art program has been critical in the development and coordination of this arts program. Designing Local facilitated a series of highly interactive and inclusive public workshops and stakeholder meetings that yielded essential insights to craft a narrative about RIC and articulate the culture and values of the community.
WHAT
The final plan includes a fully developed arts program, including master planning, commission management, and art curation. Potential locations for art placement were identified, while taking into consideration the existing airport design, maintenance, RIC Master Plan, and the Capital Improvement Plan. Designing Local is also curating RIC's first public art piece to be installed in Fall of 2024.
Mooresville Public Arts Plan
Mooresville, North Carolina
WHY
As the fastest growing town in North Carolina, Mooresville is a vibrant community that is poised to become THE place to live, work, and play in the greater Charlotte region. Mooresville sought to develop its first Public Arts Plan to help guide the Town as it seeks to enhance economic health and quality of life through public art. Mooresville also wanted to ensure that public input was at the heart of its Public Art Plan. In order to ensure that the strategy is built upon a solid foundation of community support the planning team engaged with community members and key stakeholders through a variety of mediums.
HOW
The process began in early 2023 with regular coordination with the project team and one-on-one conversations with key stakeholders. This initial coordination laid the groundwork for online and in person public engagement. The planning team also undertook an intensive on-the-ground tour of Mooresville to gain a greater understanding of the opportunity for public art in the town. What emerged from this process was a strong vision for how public art could create positive impacts in the community, bring people together, and align with other efforts undertaken by the Town.
WHAT
For Mooresville, the first Public Arts Plan is a blueprint for weaving public art into every facet of the community. With each new installation, Mooresville has the opportunity to create something iconic, that serves the community by enhancing the built environment in such a way that businesses, tourists, and residents are attracted to the area. The strategies in the Public Arts Plan also address the potential to revitalize overlooked spaces, inspire new investment, and support the local economy by creating a distinct sense of place.
Corning Public Art Strategy
Corning, New York
WHY
The City of Corning in the beautiful hills of Southern New York is one of the world’s leading innovators in materials science with a renowned arts scene. Developing a long-range public art strategy will help the community to cultivate and expand public art to enhance and propel the City of Corning as a city of and for the arts. The new Public Art Strategy plan in Corning will offer continued economic growth by establishing public art that is welcoming for all, culturally rich, tells the story of the City’s history, and can be practically applied and implemented over the next five years.
HOW
A highly collaborative public process was at the heart of the Corning Public Art Strategy. In order to ensure that the strategy was built upon a solid foundation of community support the planning team engaged with community members and key stakeholders through a variety of mediums. What emerged was a vision for how public art can enhance and reflect the character of Corning. From the structure of the program to the funding and implementation, project partnerships and community consensus was key to make sure the public art strategy would be successful creating vitality and interest in public spaces.
WHAT
The Public Art Strategy is currently in the final stages of production and will be ready to implement in early 2024. The plan takes into account a broader vision for Corning, that takes advantages of opportunities for linkages to the larger region and establish social, environmental, and financial sustainable policies and best practices. With a history of strong Public-Private partnerships and as an incubator for arts and sciences, the Public Art Strategy builds on past successes and creates new opportunities for art and science to intersect in engaging public space and public life in Corning.
