Baltimore has been selected as the host city for Project for Public Spaces’ 2024 International Placemaking Week. This event gathers 600 leaders and influencers from around the world to celebrate and explore effectively designed, community-driven spaces.
The fourth annual International Placemaking Week conference will take place from June 5 – 8, 2024. It’s designed as an immersive experience, meant to engage attendees through hands-on sessions, off-site workshops, tours, and networking events about public spaces.
“Public spaces serve as arenas for human connection, combating social isolation and providing opportunities crucial for personal and communal growth and success,” said Nate Storring, co-executive director of Project for Public Spaces. “Through meaningful engagement and inclusive planning, Placemaking Week aims to catalyze a global movement to reclaim public spaces and leverage them for broader social and economic benefits.”
Project for Public Spaces describes the term “placemaking” as inspiring people to collectively “reimagine and reinvent public spaces as the heart of every community.”
“Strengthening the connection between people and the places they share, placemaking refers to a collaborative process by which we can shape our public realm in order to maximize shared value,” the group says on their website. “More than just promoting better urban design, placemaking facilitates creative patterns of use, paying particular attention to the physical, cultural, and social identities that define a place and support its ongoing evolution.
The Neighborhood Design Center will co-host the 2024 event with the City of Baltimore, collaborating in support of regional marketing, fundraising, and planning workshops intended to empower attendees to advance placemaking locally and globally. The NDC is a non-profit organization that assists low-income neighborhoods with community development services. They’ve completed more than 4,000 projects in Maryland over five decades enhancing community environments.
The Project for Public Spaces was founded in 1975, and has helped over 3,500 communities in 52 countries create inclusive places that change society for the better. Their goal is to build a world where every public space is community powered. “We put community participation at the center of everything we do, from placemaking partnerships with corporations and foundations to our workshops, trainings, conferences, and more,” read the press release announcing Baltimore’s selection.
“By having the opportunity to bring Placemaking Week to Baltimore City, we’re able to showcase the incredible work being done by communities across our city and open our doors to placemakers from around the world,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “This gathering has always been a powerful catalyst for positive change, and as Baltimore plans the future of so many of our shared public spaces, there’s no better time to welcome so many incredible professionals in this space. We’re thrilled to be playing such a central role in this year’s forum and look forward to welcoming everyone to Charm City.”
Previous cities that have hosted International Placemaking Weeks include Vancouver (2016), Amsterdam (2017), and Chattanooga (2019.) “Chattanooga’s event had a substantial economic impact, injecting $628,319 into the local economy, supporting 158 jobs, and investing in local artists and organizations,” read the press release.
