05/30/2012

Kresge Adopts Creative Placemaking

"The Kresge Foundation has announced a new strategy for its arts and culture program that unifies the elements of the three-part framework which has guided its arts and culture grantmaking since 2010.

Under the new strategy, Kresge will focus on the integration of arts and culture into comprehensive community revitalization efforts, an approach sometimes called 'creative placemaking.' According to the foundation, creative placemaking embodies the belief that the arts can enliven and rejuvenate public and private spaces, improve the climate for local businesses, bring people together, and contribute to making neighborhoods and communities more desirable places to live. The foundation will continue to be interested in the principles of art and community building and artist live/work spaces—areas funded under its current grantmaking strategy—as means to achieve those ends.

To be rolled out later this year, the new grantmaking strategy, like other Kresge programs, will seek to create opportunities that improve the lives of low-income and disadvantaged people nationwide. 'Projects designed to revitalize neighborhoods or improve the conditions of low-income people work best when arts and cultural activities are fully integrated and a part of a comprehensive community strategy,' said Alice Carle, director of the arts and culture program at Kresge. 'Through a collective approach, we will invest and share in our local partners' aspirations for resilient, thriving, and equitable places.'"

Philanthropy News Digest 05/25/2012