Join the Community Safety team on Wednesday, May 12 from 3 to 4 p.m. for a free virtual presentation on "placemaking." This presentation will examine how community can use arts and culture to create spaces for community to gather and learn from one another.
"The main tenet of placemaking is that it is community-driven," said Community Safety Coordinator Sarah Berkemeier. "The idea starts within the community, and while it is often supported monetarily or logistically by a larger community or governmental organization, the planning, initiation and completion of the placemaking project are primarily done by the community in which the 'place' is being created."
A great example of placemaking recently happened in NE Portland when muralist Campo and community member Aisha Keita, collaborated to transform a building on the corner of 15th and Killingsworth from a tagged and empty building to community space and thrift store with a bright mural honoring the poet Amanda Gorman. Placemaking activities, such the one in NE Portland, can help resolve community challenges related to community safety. The Community Safety trainings provide ideas that promote and support safety initiatives such as:
- Community-led placemaking.
- Creative solutions that bring connection and understanding between people within the community.
- Community building through visual, audio, and often kinesthetic changes to a community space.
As community begins to find ways to safely come together this summer, the Community Safety program wants to share ideas for positive and creative activities that will build more equitable communities. This training shows community how to incorporate supportive visual aids that showcase in a few words, through imagery and in various languages, that the space is available for all to use. The purpose of placemaking is to help people feel welcome, inclusive, connected, and most importantly, safe.
You can register for the May 12, 3pm training here.
Also, please remember to take advantage of the many other community safety trainings by requesting a no-cost Community Safety training for your community or business.
And, as you’re planning your re-entry back to a more normal summer, take a look at Portland Bureau of Transportation's lineup of virtual and outdoor events as part of this summer’s Sunday Parkways.