Springboard for the Arts Case Study
Through a partnership with Pollen Midwest, we created a case study to learn how Springboard for the Arts built placemaking partnerships in both urban and rural communities, transforming overlooked and undervalued public spaces into points of local pride.
Excerpt from the Case Study
Springboard for the Arts’ artist-led projects bring people to the table who are usually excluded from economic development planning efforts. This high level of authentic engagement gives neighborhoods a voice in development projects and creates new and unique opportunities for artists to express themselves in their communities.
Start with lots of little
Springboard tests community development projects on a small scale, as a way to determine how they might fare when scaled up. This approach helps Springboard manage risk, maximize positives and engage more people with good ideas.
An infrastructure of relationships
Springboard relies on strong partnerships with staff, frequent collaborators or partner organizations to identify community issues, then makes it easy for artists and community members to engage in identifying solutions. It’s a practice that works in urban and rural communities alike.
