The annual Creative Placemaking Leadership Summit– May 5 at New Jersey Institute of Technology near downtown Newark, NJ – brings together artists, cultural professionals, civic leaders, grantmakers, public officials, and community and economic developers to explore the “how to’s” of creative placemaking, and build their networks.   It is one of the largest gatherings of people who work to make communities better through art and culture. 

You can learn more or register at www.artsbuildcommunities.com/cpls17  Planetizen subscribers: Get a 10% discount on each ticket.  Use discount code: planetizen

This year’s event –Thriving Together– focuses on three key themes:  creative placemaking that lasts, building strong partnerships, and promoting social equity.  More than a dozen workshops cover topics such as:

• How to begin in creative placemaking
• Choosing effective strategies
• Avoiding burnout
• How artists can lead creative placemaking
• Getting more support for creative placemaking
• Building sustainable relationships between universities and communities
• Ways to grow or maintain high-performing partnerships
• Working more effectively with artists
• Engaging diverse audiences in creative placemaking
• Dealing with systematic oppression

There's a 'Creative Placemaking 101' type workshop for those new to the field.

The lunchtime presentation, "What's in the Paper?" features a conversation among social artists who use paper to help traumatized people reconnect with their communities.

There's also plenty of time for networking, with attendees from around the United States.

Stay afterward for a reception honoring Donna Drewes, who was most recently co-Director of Sustainable Jersey.

Each workshop is being submitted for 1.5 AICP Certification Maintenance credits.

Tickets are $125 until April 30.  Tickets are $150 after April 30.