At City People our passion is creative placemaking: embedding arts and culture in public spaces so that people connect with each other and the place in which they live, work or visit.
The health regulations aimed at restricting the transmission of COVID-19 currently prevent or diminish the ability of people to gather, as well as experience arts and cultural activities, in public spaces outdoors.
In August 2020, City People hosted an accelerator to develop ideas for how we can continue to make places people love, places where people connect with each other while being at a safe physical distance. It was supported by the City of Sydney with a small business COVID-19 grant.
You can access the Accelerator Insights Report and watch the webinar below.
Facilitating accelerators is one of the dynamic ways that City People creates project ideas that celebrate, interpret or activate places by bringing people with diverse expertise together in a structured but creative process.
We welcomed nine participants from artists to arts practitioners in large and small cultural organisations. A number of ‘provocateurs’ informed and challenged participants on the impact of COVID-19 on health and safety, business and street culture. We are very grateful for the time, insight and expertise they all shared.
Participants explored the challenges the COVID-19 restrictions present for artists, producers or placemakers in creating festivals, community events or activation in our city’s major event spaces, town centres and neighbourhood parks and streets.
Overall, there was a desire for optimism and a willingness to consider how we can reconfigure art practice, not just audiences, to respond to the regulations that are aimed at restricting the transmission of COVID-19 in the community.
Watch the webinar
You can also watch the webinar hosted by Michael Cohen, City People, Director with Fiona Winning, Head of Programming at Sydney Opera House; and Chris Fox, Director of Studio Chris Fox.
The video and webinar was produced by The Story Mill. Check them out!
Download the Insights Report
You can download the Accelerator Insights Summary and Insights Report below. It aims to reflect the discussion, ideas and concepts that emerged during the accelerator. Some of the insights we share include:
- why COVID-19 is the opportunity to prioritise arts and culture in public spaces
- what can creative placemakers (eg artists, art practitioners, event organisers, urban designers, policy makers) consider in activating public spaces during COVID-19
- how we reimagine art form not just reconfigure audiences.
