Assembly Required: When Public Space Becomes Risky Space

Public space is one of the primary platforms connecting people to art and design. Yet shelter in place measures are taking people away from experiencing the public art, parks and creative infrastructure projects in their city in the same ways they did before. Crises have previously created innovations in stewardship of public space. For example, tactical urbanism was born out of the 2009 financial crisis to repurpose suddenly abandoned spaces for public use as parklets or rotating small business platforms. Responding to this moment, what will be the lessons for the future of art and design in public space? What new models for community gathering and exchange can we build? How can we restructure our public spaces as more equitable and respond to pressing challenges facing communities?

Panelists:

• Wanda Dalla Costa, Institute Professor, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
• Carrie Christensen, Senior Planner, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
• Sadiya Muqueeth, Director of Community Health, The Trust for Public Land

Moderator:

• Sofia Dotta, MA Candidate in Creative Enterprise and Cultural Leadership, Herberger Institute and Public Art Assistant, Tempe Public Art

Date/time: Friday, May 22, 1–2 p.m. (AZ time)
Zoom: https://asu.zoom.us/j/95078791908

This panel is presented by Assembly Required, a collection of interviews with creatives, discussion panels, activities and modules that unite students, alumni and the greater arts and design community in discussions about past experiences, current skills and the future of work. All programming is open to the ASU community and the general public to center community knowledge, promote voices of emerging leaders and link disparate networks in the cross-sector work of art and design, to disrupt traditional pathways of accessibility to learning. More programming will be announced soon.

Photo by Jarod Opperman