Placemaking, Creative Sector Asset Mapping, and Cultural Planning
Creative placemaking and cultural planning processes integrate arts, culture, and design activities to strengthen communities. It requires cross-sector partnerships, deep community engagement, and the involvement of artists and designers to advance local economic, physical, and social change, ultimately laying the groundwork for systems change.
SAACA's IMPACT
Collaboration with Communities
SAACA collaborates with over communities, cities, and municipalities in Arizona to develop Creative Placemaking, creative sector asset mapping, and cultural planning programs. These initiatives include integrated cultural asset mapping and community-based processes leading to new and rejuvenated parks and open spaces that reflect local identity through arts and culture.
Our engagement strategies focus on:
SAACA collaborates with over communities, cities, and municipalities in Arizona to develop Creative Placemaking, creative sector asset mapping, and cultural planning programs. These initiatives include integrated cultural asset mapping and community-based processes leading to new and rejuvenated parks and open spaces that reflect local identity through arts and culture.
Our engagement strategies focus on:
- Equity
- Arts and Culture
- Community Engagement
- Partnerships
- Stewardship
Cultural and Economic Vitality
We believe that cultural vibrancy is as crucial as finance and trade in crafting successful communities. By shaping a sense of place, cultural richness attracts an educated workforce, businesses, and visitors seeking authentic experiences unique to the destination. Our work strengthens the arts in our region and makes experiences widely available to residents and visitors.
Programs and Initiatives
SAACA’s initiatives range from arts and economic development to arts and tourism, exploring how arts contribute to community identity, economic growth, and tourism.
Developing Creative Sector Asset Mapping, Placemaking Programs and Cultural PlanninG
A New Lens on Community Connection
Community Revitalization Creative placemaking connects arts and culture to larger community revitalization initiatives through cross-discipline, cross-sector activities, driven by strong leadership and vision.
Programs and Processes Our programs emphasize community involvement, artist-in-residence initiatives, revitalizing vacant spaces, and integrating the arts into decision-making processes in public safety, transportation, and development sectors.
Types of Planning
Community Revitalization Creative placemaking connects arts and culture to larger community revitalization initiatives through cross-discipline, cross-sector activities, driven by strong leadership and vision.
Programs and Processes Our programs emphasize community involvement, artist-in-residence initiatives, revitalizing vacant spaces, and integrating the arts into decision-making processes in public safety, transportation, and development sectors.
Types of Planning
- Standard Placemaking: Supporting and hosting events, classes, and public art programs.
- Tactical Placemaking: Small projects focused on creating quality places with broad impact.
- Creative Placemaking: Revitalizing public spaces through arts, culture, and creative thinking.
- Strategic Placemaking: Strategic investment in creating vibrant communities for living, working, and playing.
Starting the Process
Community Engagement SAACA encourages direct engagement with the community, asset mapping, and inclusive leadership in parks and recreation. Investing equally among departments in arts and culture and regularly engaging with community organizations is crucial.
The Payoff Collaboration and engagement require significant time and resources, but the payoff is substantial—building vibrant, connected, and thriving communities through the power of arts and culture.
The Payoff Collaboration and engagement require significant time and resources, but the payoff is substantial—building vibrant, connected, and thriving communities through the power of arts and culture.
Our Approach…
Spaces and Places
- Character
- Identity
- Social Change
- Life
- Culture
- Equity
- Civic Engagement
- Hopes and Dreams
- Vibrancy
- Economic Development
- Connectedness
- Access
- Diversity
Spaces and Places
- Walkways and Cultural Centers
- Nonprofit and Office Spaces
- Industrial and Medical Centers
- Community Parks and Green Spaces
- Shopping Centers and Vacant Retail Spaces
- Community Centers and Churches
CULTURAL ASSET MAPPING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Cultural asset mapping is a best practice and standard operating procedure of cultural planning efforts. It rests in the belief that there are valuable assets — in the form of people, places, associations and organizations — and that recognizing, counting and tracking those components can help move communities to plan and implement their vision. The process entails collecting, recording, analyzing and synthesizing information to describe the cultural resources, networks, links and patterns of usage of a given community or group. It identifies a community’s strengths and resources through the process of inventorying both tangible and intangible cultural assets.
Given its strong relationship to community development efforts, cultural asset mapping is sometimes referred to by the acronym ABCD, standing for Asset-Based Community Development. Put simply, the process of identifying and quantifying the existing assets and cultural strengths of a specific place can be a powerful tool in community development.
Given its strong relationship to community development efforts, cultural asset mapping is sometimes referred to by the acronym ABCD, standing for Asset-Based Community Development. Put simply, the process of identifying and quantifying the existing assets and cultural strengths of a specific place can be a powerful tool in community development.