THE GMC

Creative placemaking, driven by The National Endowment for the Arts, is defined as the intentional unification of arts and culture with inclusive community and economic development. Creative placemaking accelerates development by facilitating collaborative engagement in order to create sustainable solutions for neighborhood development issues that focus on each neighborhood’s unique qualities.

 

In alignment with this approach, the Greater Milwaukee Committee (GMC) formed the Creative Placemaking Committee in fall 2014 to foster local support and contribute to an emerging national dialogue in the field. The creation of this committee stems from a long history of the GMC’s investment in Milwaukee as a vibrant place to live, learn, work, and play.

 

The GMC and the Creative Placemaking Committee is paving the way for inclusive community development in Milwaukee by:

 

• Facilitating creative placemaking projects in neighborhoods across the city

• Defining and distributing The Milwaukee Method of Creative Placemaking

• Convening and fostering a cultural leadership network

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As a steward of creative placemaking, the GMC has been proud of its dedicated involvement in past projects around Milwaukee including the revitalization of the Walker’s Point neighborhood, the creative reanimation of the Shops of Grand Avenue into The Avenue, and the initial launch of NEWaukee, a social architecture agency serving Milwaukee. Looking forward, the GMC is committed to The Beerline Trail Neighborhood Development Project as a collaborative partner.  

 

ArtPlace America and The Kresge Foundation, have recognized the GMC as a national leader in Creative Placemaking. These foundations have focused on Milwaukee and the GMC through providing significant support to community projects. Additionally, via Artplace America, the Urban Institute published, A Pathway to Connect Communities, a research report that discussed how the Beerline Trail Extension utilizes creative placemaking to push for inclusive economic development.  

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Angela Damiani, president of NEWaukee, Elizabeth (Betsy) Brenner, retired president and publisher of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Brad Pruitt, artist and filmmaker, co-chair the GMC’s Creative Placemaking Committee. Consultant Sara Daleiden of MKE<->LAX facilitates this committee in collaboration with GMC leadership. 

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Core funders for our creative placemaking work include:

• ArtPlace America

• City of Milwaukee Arts Board

• Fund for Lake Michigan

• Greater Milwaukee Foundation – Marvin W. Haesle Fund for the Arts

• Kresge Foundation

• National Endowment for the Arts

• Prairie Springs: The Paul Fleckenstein Trust

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Resources and Updates

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• A Pathway to Connect Communities: A Case Study of the Beerline Trail Extension in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

• Creative Placemaking in Milwaukee (abbreviated white paper)

• The Milwaukee Method of Creative Placemaking (full white paper)

• MKE Creative Placemaking Discovery Trip – Chicago (video)

• Beerline Trail Concept Design – Hood Design Studio

• 2016 Beerline Trail Neighborhood Development Project Overview

• 2015 Beerline Trail Neighborhood Development Project Overview (video)

• 2014 Community Development Innovation Review: Seeding Civic Engagement 

• The Trail MKE YouTube page

• The Trail MKE Facebook page

• The Trail MKE Twitter feed

• The Trail MKE Instagram

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