placemaking
Attracting Remote Workers
You have what they want As young families come home to small towns, they are often remote workers. Mainstreet.Org says at the end of the day, the strength of this trend will be determined by how communities position themselves to leverage this growing interest in rural and small towns. What can you do to position…
Read MoreDowntown placemaking can be simple and cheap
How often do you go somewhere and realize you didn’t even ‘see’ much along the route? Until something changes. Then everyone sees it. Candee Brossman from the Woodward Arts and Theatre Council shared this story with us. She attended Becky’s presentation at the Oklahoma Arts Council Conference, where Becky talked about the value of cleaning…
Read More3 Ways to Make Small Towns Successful: Get the practical steps to Beautification, Good Leaders and Keeping Your Youth
We know that people who are open to new ideas and willing to let newcomers be involved in the decision making help create communities that will thrive. Iowa State University’s 30 year Sigma study conducted over 99 towns told us that. There are a few other things that can make your small town more successful.…
Read MoreFive Cheap Downtown Placemaking Ideas
It was my pleasure to present Cheap Downtown Placemaking Ideas for Iowa State University OLLI programming. It’s a topic that garners attention because it allows a small town the opportunity to get into action and help make their downtown more attractive, welcoming and inspires economic development. Here are five ideas from the 90 minute presentation…
Read MoreFolklife in the South Conference – The stories matter
I attended the Folklife in the South Conference in Lake Guntersville, Alabama in June 2023. It was a gathering of community leaders, folklorists, traditional artists, educators, documentarians, and other cultural workers. We came together to hear the stories of work in the field, explore different avenues of folklife in the South and to meet and…
Read MoreThe Idea Friendly Method works
I read an article today about a small town in Montana putting a mural on the side of an empty building. I commented that it was a great idea and I was happy to see it. Tori Wyman responded with: We clung to your advice from the Idea Friendly Method! The Idea Friendly Method works,…
Read MoreNotes from Placemaking Conference for Small and Rural Communities
I attended Placemaking in Small and Rural Communities online conference hosted by USDA and the University of Kentucky. It was all day, and I was able to attend most of the sessions. Enjoy this article that shares the tidbits I gathered. Why attend something like this? I work in rural communities and placemaking is vital…
Read MoreDoes Placemaking Matter?
Dr Andrew Van Leuven presented The Economics of Downtown Revitalization: Putting Some “Oomph” Behind the Numbers for the University of Wisconsin Extension Lunch and Learn Program. I watched the recording and the slide show too. Dr. Van Leuven is the Assistant Professor of Community and Rural Development at Oklahoma State University in the Department of…
Read MoreSteal all the ideas
As you travel, locally or further, take a look at what other communities are doing to create ways for people to remember them (placemaking.) In Gulfport where I live, the Port Authority lights up the port with the colors of Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras is kind of a big deal down here. Where could you…
Read MoreFishbone Alley Gulfport Mississippi
Hurricane Katrina damaged downtown Gulfport, Mississippi in 2005. During restoration they found brick pavers under the asphalt. These were used in 1908 to build their streets. In 2016 those pavers were used in an economic development project called Fishbone Alley. Local artists have created a visual delight as you walk down the alley. This is…
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