What do Creative Placemakers Actually Do?
“Placemaking is essential—not just for wellbeing and a sense of safety, but also as a way to counter feelings of disconnection and displacement.” Matè, Trauma-Informed Placemaking
Jeremy likes to say that placemaking is about belonging, whereas I see creative placemaking as the sprinkle of joy after a long work week. It's attracting the people who bring the vibe. It's creating an environment where kids and parents feel relaxed enough to sit down and stay awhile.
It's providing a space where everyone feels safe enough to relax and enjoy themselves.
Being a Placemaker is like being an Ambassador of a place. It could be a city or region, or an unofficial Arts District, or, as I like to say, to be a Creative Placemaker is to be a taste maker.
There are a few different kinds of placemaking that include trauma-informed placemaking and things such as place branding - which is my favorite - and typically, there are four recognized types of Placemaking, which are:
Standard, Strategic, Tactical, and Creative - those who set the tone and branding of events and cities.
The DJs, the Eleven Madison Parks, and the Weiden + Kennedy's of the bunch, if you will.
Standard Placemaking is the unsexy one, but it's the most important one, and that is the management of space. It usually takes a group of people to pull everything off. However, to gain the best understanding of "Standard Placemaking", it is essential to comprehend Public Space Operations, Place Management, and other community fundamentals, such as parks and open spaces, transportation, local economy, culture, and arts.
DO YOU NEED A DEGREE IN SOMETHING?
You don't need a degree for Standard Placemaking. Oftentimes, a place needs several "Standard Placemakers".
Strategic is long-range planning. Think Downtown Plans. This one needs a degree.
Tactical is short-term, low risk, and no cost. Anybody can do this one.
Creative Placemaking is the zuzh. It's Art, Culture + Design.
It's a monthly Third Thursday Block Party in your neighborhood. It's a weekly Cinema Sunday on the Prom with your neighbs. It's the choice of music that sets the tone in your establishment, at your event, or in your home.
It's the vibe for me.
Is this cool? Am I safe? Do I want to stay awhile?
It can be digital.
It can be a walkable Instagram feed of art locations in your area - a super fun + free walk; scroll Instagram for the tour. It can be a website like I created for Santa Monica Radio (www.santamonicaradio.com) - a free silent disco + stroll around Santa Monica. It can be you volunteering to create a newsletter or graphics for the next community event.
So how do you become a placemaker? You might already be one.
New experiences are good for the brain (+ your community!)
We need our communities more than ever. According to Trauma-Informed Placemaking, ARTwalks have been prescribed by physicians, and Alleyway dance pop-ups are a hit in Australia.
There is a power in communal dancing, which is why I love that DJs are considered Placemakers. You can start with placemaking right now in your own community from the comfort of your bed by being a digital placemaker!