The Placemaking Round-Up
A biweekly newsletter with public space news, resources, and opportunities.
The Biweekly Bazaar
A curated dispatch on all things public markets plus the latest announcements from the Market Cities Program.
A biweekly newsletter with public space news, resources, and opportunities.
A curated dispatch on all things public markets plus the latest announcements from the Market Cities Program.
PRESS RELEASE
November 18, 2024 – Northwest Arkansas and New York, NY.
Project for Public Spaces announced today that it has selected three Arkansas organizations to receive Community Placemaking Grants for transforming their respective outdoor public spaces: Farmington Public Library in Farmington, Leverett Elementary School in Fayetteville, and Historic Twin Springs Park in Siloam Springs. Thanks to support from the Walton Family Foundation, each organization in the 2024 cohort of grantees will receive $80,000 in direct funding, as well as planning, implementation, and capacity building assistance from Project for Public Spaces, in transforming an underperforming public space into an active community place.
Launched in fall of 2021, Project for Public Spaces’ Community Placemaking Grants enable US-based nonprofits and government agencies to address inequality of access by working directly with local stakeholders to transform public spaces or co-create new ones. This year’s selection was awarded to U.S.-based 501c(3) nonprofits or local government agencies located in Northwest Arkansas’ Washington or Benton counties and based on several criteria, including commitment to equity and inclusion, community reach, and partnerships. Applicants also accept an open-ended community visioning process facilitated by Project for Public Spaces that cultivates a shared aspiration for the spaces. Throughout each project, the national nonprofit also assists partners in developing an appropriate budget to cover the costs of physical improvements, programming, staffing, and grant management. It will also help with conceptualizing plans and designs, and provide guidance on implementation of the physical improvements to the site.
“For over three years, the Community Placemaking Grants have helped not only to transform places, but also to energize and uplift the people who love and care about them. The funding that supports placemaking efforts also brings people together, creates beautiful hubs of activity, spurs investment, a sense of belonging, and so much more. We can’t wait to meet our grantees and the communities they serve to really get to the heart of what they need and want in the space. The goal is always to work together to ensure that the impact will be locally unique and long-lasting.”
— Elena Madison, Project for Public Spaces’ Director of Projects
Here is more about each project:
Centrally located in downtown Farmington, the city’s library is looking to turn an underused lawn into a community hub for outdoor activities and programming. Although the space is occasionally used for events, the Library is looking forward to making it an accessible and more functional outdoor venue and gathering place, a destination for community members to engage with one another and host programming.
"Securing a Community Placemaking Grant is an incredible opportunity for the Farmington Public Library,” said Rachel Sawyer, Director of Farmington Public Library. “We believe that the guidance offered by Project for Public Spaces is essential to ensure our approach is both inclusive and innovative. We are excited to embark on this journey alongside our community."
Leverett Elementary School is a diverse Title 1 school that serves 240 students from grades K to 4 in the heart of Fayetteville. This centrally located school has a large underused lot that will transform into a multifunctional space that acts as an extension to the traditional classroom. The school envisions a space for hosting important enrichment activities outdoors and events that bring community members together.
“We’re excited to kick off our Community Placemaking Project and create a space that brings joy, connection, and pride to our diverse Leverett family,” said Christie Cremo, Principal of Leverett Elementary School. “This project is a unique opportunity to unite our creativity and energy. Together, we’re building a place that inspires curiosity, hands-on learning, and a true sense of community.”
Siloam Springs’ Historic Twin Springs Park is at the heart of the city. To prepare for future infrastructural improvements, the park will experiment with new programming that can reimagine traditional expectations and expand the possibilities for how the public might interact with the space in the future. The engagement process will explore how the city can support self-led uses and new activations in the park and along the waterway.
“The downtown parks along Sager Creek are some of the most iconic features of our community,” said Travis Chaney, Parks & Recreation Manager at the City of Siloam Springs. “We are grateful to receive this grant and we look forward to bringing new life to these historic spaces.”
In November, Project for Public Spaces’ Placemaking team will work with grantees to organize visioning sessions with their respective communities, before conceptualizing an activation plan, designing, construction, and programmatic implementation take place. Projects are expected to be completed by October 2025.
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About Project for Public Spaces
Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025, Project for Public Spaces has spent the past five decades bringing some of the most successful public places in the world to life. Today, we remain committed to putting community participation at the center of everything we do, from placemaking partnerships with corporations and foundations to our workshops, trainings, conferences, and more. Our interdisciplinary team has helped over 3,500 communities in 52 countries create inclusive places that change our society for the better. Together, we can build a world where every public space is community-powered. Learn more at PPS.org.
CONTACT
Anne Tan-Detchkov
Director of Communications & Marketing
Project for Public Spaces
atan@pps.org
(212) 620-5660
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