Across Minneapolis, artists are generating new approaches to invite community members into dialogue around key civic issues. Creative CityMaking builds on their pioneering work to increase the participation of underrepresented communities in determining the city’s future. This program is part of a movement happening in cities around the globe where people are leveraging the power of the arts and the creative process to develop more capable, healthy and equitable communities.
Goals of Creative CityMaking Minneapolis
Creative CityMaking Minneapolis (CCM) is an arts-based innovation initiative that pairs staff in City of Minneapolis departments with experienced community artists to advance the City’s One Minneapolis goal: Disparities are eliminated so all Minneapolis residents can participate and prosper.
- Racial inequities (including in housing, education, income and health) are addressed and eliminated.
- All people, regardless of circumstance, have opportunities for success at every stage of life.
- Equitable systems and policies lead to a high quality of life for all.
- All people have access to quality essentials, such as housing, education, food, child care and transportation.
- Residents are informed, see themselves represented in City government and have the opportunity to influence decision-making.
These collaborations between City staff and artists are in support of the following objectives:
- To use arts resources and practices to help city departments address their priority issues;
- To design and test new interfaces between city systems and the community, and new approaches for community engaged policy-making, planning, and practice;
- To enhance city staff and artists’ abilities to facilitate community engagement, and equip them with new tools for working effectively with traditionally underrepresented communities;
- To create a collaborative, sustainable support system that advances the work of city departments through partnership with experienced community artists;
- To document and communicate lessons learned.
Creative CityMaking is made possible thanks to the generous support of The Kresge Foundation and by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Creative CityMaking is a collaboration between Intermedia Arts and the City of Minneapolis.