Art in Place NWA Summer 2024 Update
It’s been my privilege to guide Urban Land Institute’s Art in Place program in Northwest Arkansas for the last two years through my role at Verdant Studio, and I'm excited about the future of the program moving forward! For those unfamiliar with Art in Place, or just getting involved, I’ll offer a brief background and some exciting program changes, followed by a preview of what to look forward to in the coming year.
Art In Place NWA Background
In the fall of 2022, the Urban Land Institute’s Northwest Arkansas district council was selected to participate in a grant-funded program initiated by ULI Americas called Art in Place, joining a cohort of 8 district councils located in Asia, Europe, and the United States. The grant’s purpose was to facilitate and encourage stronger networks and better understanding between artists and real estate developers, and to pursue opportunities for pilot projects that can serve as case studies for creative placemaking driven by, and responsive to, local communities and creatives.
Art in Place NWA hosted five public convenings in 2023 that saw over 100 unique participants gather, representing a broad range of professional focus and experience from within both the arts and culture and real estate development spheres. These convenings included content presented by experts representing both arts/culture and real estate development, opportunities for dialogue across the occupational divide, and networking opportunities among attendees. Programming also included content sessions at ULI NWA's Place Summit in '22 & '23.
Growing out of Art in Place NWA activities in 2023 was an opportunity to partner on a pilot project with beloved regional brewer Ozark Beer Company. AIP NWA facilitated the implementation of creative placemaking strategies at the beginning stages of their project to develop and expand their Downtown Rogers brewery’s offerings into their adjacent 1/3-acre empty lot.
Dubbed the Ozark Backyard, AIP NWA facilitated feedback from taproom patrons who submitted wildly imaginative “dream backyard” coloring sheets, hosted community feedback, creative planning, and schematic design creative sessions, and identified ways to involve creatives and design professionals from the conception of the work.
As programming concluded in 2023, Art in Place was able to provide Ozark with a creative roadmap that was shaped by their community and designed to include artists, guiding their forthcoming development plans. Next steps will include identifying opportunities for regional artists and artisans to have their work help shape OBC’s upcoming designs for the space.
Art in Place NWA Transition
As the initial global Art in Place grant period approached its second and final phase in the summer of 2024, the ULI NWA District Council recognized that the work begun through the Art in Place grant was already adding value and imagination to the real estate development conversation in Northwest Arkansas. As of July 1, ULI NWA has committed to supporting the Art in Place program under the umbrella of its regional ULI programming as a permanent committee and program, ensuring continuity beyond the conclusion of the AIP global cohort activities.
Art in Place NWA Moving Forward
The goal of Art in Place NWA remains the same. We want to build bridges between the arts and the real estate communities in the Northwest Arkansas region. We want to support the building of a healthier and more robust creative economy in northwest Arkansas. We believe that involving artists at earlier stages in the planning and design of the built environment helps strengthen connections with local communities and makes for better cities. We believe a deliberate and strategic approach to art provides tangible benefits to the developer, to artists, and to the community.
Art in Place convenings in 2024/2025 will be designed to continue providing expert content, to facilitate dialogue, and to strengthen awareness and networks at the intersection of art and real estate development. Future Art in Place programming will include guest presenters, topical conversations, casual networking opportunities, and forums for sharing and viewing the work of participating artists and developers.
The future of Northwest Arkansas is anticipated to be marked by tremendous population growth and accelerated real estate development over the next several decades, making the region uniquely poised to contribute to the conversation and best practices surrounding the integration and utilization of art and artists in real estate development. As a program of Urban Land Institute NWA, Art in Place aims to support the growth of knowledge and networks in order to strengthen the role of the arts and the economics of the creative ecosystem as the region continues to grow and flourish.
Thanks for your interest in Art in Place NWA, and keep your eyes peeled for AIP programming and opportunities in the coming year! I encourage you to join AIP NWA's Facebook Group to stay in the loop as well!
Hope to see you at Art in Place NWA convenings in the near future!
Dayton Castleman
Director of Creative Placemaking, Verdant Studio
