Creative Placemaking Communities

09/04/2026

Thank you to the Family Foundation for their support of the 2026 South & Appalachian Creative Placemaking Summit! Levitt partners with changemakers and nonprofits in towns and cities across America to create joyous, inclusive destinations where the power of free, live music brings people together of all ages and backgrounds, creating more healthy, equitable and thriving communities. Learn more: levitt.org

04/04/2026

Here are 7 reasons why I think you should join us in Memphis for the 2026 South & Applachian Creative Placemaking Summit:
1. Two incredible keynote speakers Carol Coletta, Bloomberg Public Innovation Fellow at Johns Hopkins and Juanita Hardy, Senior Visiting Fellow for Creative Placemaking at the Urban Land Institute.

2. The Summit is focused on how creative placemaking projects actually move forward. What gets funded, what gets approved, and what ultimately gets done.

3. We are offering exclusive behind-the-scenes access to places in Memphis where real revitalization is happening that utilizes arts and culture to shape each place.
4. The Summit is multidisciplinary. You will network with architects, developers, city leaders, visual and performing artists, arts administrators, urban planners and designers, economic and community development.

5. Our speakers are grounded in the work of creative practice, placemaking, arts, real estate and architecture. We are offering over 50 sessions featuring incredible projects and workshops that give you real ideas and tools to implement.

6. We are featuring multiple learning tracks focused on community revitalization, music, real estate, architecture, data and asset planning, public art, adaptive reuse, community engagement, and economic impact.

7. This is not a typical placemaking or public space conference. It is centered on arts and cultural strategy as a driver of economic development, identity, and long term value.

There are a couple of weeks left to purchase tickets, and you can register below:
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02/04/2026

There are 4 weeks left to register for Building Bridges: Connecting Communities with Culture and Commerce!

We have an incredible line-up of sessions, tours, receptions and other activations. This is THE place to be to learn about creative placemaking and to network with others in the field. Join us April 21-24th in Memphis!
Register here:
t@d31r5Y-ZjbezZny-bk/umb7soyz" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://whova.com/portal/registration/t@d31r5Y-ZjbezZny-bk/umb7soyz
OR visit www.cpcommunities.org

02/07/2025

Early Bird registration is NOW OPEN for the 2026 South & Appalachian Creative Placemaking Summit - Building Bridges: Connecting Communities with Culture and Commerce. This is the FINAL three-day Summit Creative Placemaking Communities will be producing in the Southern region! Join us in Memphis, TN April 21-24, 2026 for an incredible send-off for the South!

To register visit:

t@d31r5Y-ZjbezZny-bk/" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://whova.com/portal/registration/t@d31r5Y-ZjbezZny-bk/

www.cpcommunities.org

www.communitylift.or

21/05/2025

Creative Placemaking Communities is thrilled to announce our Keynote Speakers for day two of Imagine, Create, Activate!

Josh Miller and Hannah L. Drake are Co-Executive Directors of the IDEAS xLab, a dynamic artist-run nonprofit based in Louisville, KY, that works nationally using the art of storytelling and community collaboration to impact public health, and unearth and honor community stories that transform people, spaces and cultures.

Josh Miller is a q***r changemaker, public speaker, multi-disciplinary artist, and outdoor explorer based in Denver, CO. They are the co-founder + Co-Executive Director of IDEAS xLab and the co-founder of (Un)Known Project. Miller’s work is grounded in the belief that being visible can shift culture, and that sharing our stories can be the catalyst that changes how people see and move through the world.

Miller received the 2022 Nonprofit Visionary Leader Award from Louisville Business First and was selected for Business Equality Magazine’s Forty LGBTQ+ Leaders under 40 and Louisville Business First's Forty under 40. They hold an MBA from Indiana University and an undergraduate degree in art administration and business administration from Bellarmine University.

Hannah L. Drake is a blogger, activist, public speaker, poet, and author of 11 books. She writes commentary on politics, feminism, and race and her work has been featured online at Cosmopolitan, The Bitter Southerner, Harper’s Bazaar and Revolt TV.

Hannah’s commentary on life and challenging others to dream bigger have been recognized by First Lady Michelle Obama. Hannah was selected by the Muhammad Ali Center to be a Daughter of Greatness which features prominent women engaged in social philanthropy, activism, and pursuits of justice.

https://whova.com/portal/registration/g8OI4vVmLoT9SadZo7KH/
www.imaginecreateactivate.com
https://ideasxlab.com/about
https://joshmiller.ventures/
http://www.hannahldrake.com/

16/05/2025

Imagine, Create, Activate! Moved to September 22 - 24, 2025

Due to all the recent funding challenges facing arts organizations and individual artists, Creative Placemaking Communities is moving Imagine, Create, Activate! from June to September 22 - 24, 2025.

We have heard from many arts professionals how difficult recent changes in funding have affected arts organizations across the U.S. Moving the dates forward will give more time to those who are impacted to be able to register and arrange travel.

We are still presenting the same great program of Keynote Speakers, professional development opportunities and networking. More details will be shared in the coming weeks including travel and venue information and a more complete program schedule.

Imagine, Create, Activate! will give all of us an opportunity to have meaningful conversation and collaboration about how we work across our professional disciplines in advancing arts and culture in our cities. It's time to think of new funding models, partnerships and policies that will make lasting change.

Please join us in September for what will be an extraordinary event. We look forward to seeing you!

23/04/2025

Culture Futurist® and Founder of Creativity America to Close Imagine, Create, Activate!

Imagine, Create, Activate! is thrilled to announce Theo Edmonds, a leader in the field of arts, science and business, will be the closing keynote speaker, Wednesday, June 25th.
Theo is a visionary Culture Futurist® and dynamic innovator known for bridging the creative industries, brain science, and the future of work to drive inclusive, transformational growth.

With nearly 30 years of executive experience spanning the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, Theo’s career is driven by a commitment to fostering cultural well-being in organizations and unlocking the human creative potential of teams.

His mind-expanding approach to quantum storytelling and the use of wonder as tools for leading systems change has made him a highly sought-after keynote speaker and executive advisor.

In 2024, Theo launched Creativity America, a decade-long collaboration with leading creativity research labs across the U.S. This initiative bridges the arts and sciences of cognitive, emotional, and social creativity to drive business innovation through a national network of Wondervation™ hubs. With the ambitious goal of increasing America’s Creative Brain Capital by 25% over the next decade, Creativity America aims to fuel the Wonder Economy—the human side of technology and the future of work.

09/04/2025

SEEKING PROJECT IDEAS FROM EARLY CAREER PROFESSIONALS!

Creative Placemaking Communities is now accepting applications from early career professionals (10 years or less professional experience) who work in urban design, architecture, visual or performing arts, urban planning or a related field to submit an idea for an urban-centered creative placemaking project to workshop through a three-hour lab during Imagine, Create, Activate!.

The Incubator Lab module will be split into two separate blocks, and those selected will be assigned to one of the two blocks based on their application.
These blocks are:
Empathizing and Prototyping OR
Refining and Approach

Participants will receive thought-partnership, mentorship, and support in moving their idea forward to strategy and implementation.

The deadline to submit an application is May 15th.

We encourage you to share your answers to the best of your ability. A jury of creative professionals will carefully review each application and participants will be selected on the following criteria:

Viability and feasibility of the idea (potential funding, implementation or additional partnership opportunities)
Potential to be impactful
How your project idea can improve mental, physical, and/or cultural wellbeing within a community
How your lived experience has informed your project idea
Project is developed for a city with a population of at least 400,000

Those selected will receive a stipend to assist with travel costs.
Click on the link below to submit your application. We are excited to hear about your project idea!
https://www.imaginecreateactivate.com/incubation-lab-apply
www.imaginecreateactivate.com
Register here: https://whova.com/portal/registration/g8OI4vVmLoT9SadZo7KH/

Applicants will be notified by May 20, 2025

19/03/2025

PHILIPPE DEMERS TO OPEN IMAGINE, CREATE, ACTIVATE!

Creative Placemaking Communities is thrilled to announce Philippe Demers, CEO and Founder of MASSIVart will be the Opening Keynote to kick-off Imagine, Create, Activate!

Philippe is a creative entrepreneur and public art advocate dedicated to generating economic and social impact through art and culture.

In 2009, Philippe founded MASSIVart and the Chromatic Festival. There, he leads a global team of passionate artists and urbanists in a perpetual quest to inspire and unlock the potential of public spaces.

Over the past decade, he has spearheaded the creation of more than 400 art and culture-driven destinations across the world, featured in Vogue, Architectural Digest, and The Globe and Mail. From stages at TEDxMontreal to PlacemakingX and the European Forum Lab, Philippe champions arts accessibility in public spaces, inspiring audiences with his vision for creative placemaking.

A committed advocate for the arts throughout his career, Philippe has contributed to cultural committees for Burning Man, Culture pour tous, and SXSW, dedicating his work to building a future where art and culture remain integral to public life.

Having worked with over 2,000 artists from around the world, MASSIVart brings a holistic and multidisciplinary perspective to precedent-setting master plans, placemaking production and strategy development with global offices in Montréal, Toronto and Mexico City.

17/02/2025

Discounted Registration Available Until March 1st for the Power of Community South & Appalachian Creative Placemaking Conference Montgomery Alabama
April 1-3, 2025

Many organizations have recently had grant funding frozen, eliminated or decreased since January. CPC and The King's Canvas acknowledge this hardship and are offering a discount to The Power of Community - rolling back to our Early Bird price until March 1st!

There are ONLY 60 registrations available at the discounted price.
Use the code MONTGOMERY2025 and register with the link below.m54P8Gzmpl1Vi5C@TUsx/" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://whova.com/portal/registration/m54P8Gzmpl1Vi5C@TUsx/

14/02/2025

Thank you to our partner The Mortimer and Mimi Levitt Foundation for being supporting The Power of Community South & Appalachian Creative Placemaking Conference!
Registration is Open for The Power of Community! m54P8Gzmpl1Vi5C@TUsx/" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://whova.com/portal/registration/m54P8Gzmpl1Vi5C@TUsx/
creative placemaking communities www.cpcommunities.org
The Levitt Foundation www.levitt.org

05/02/2025