Meeting with an Expert: Placemaking artist

A virtual or physical meeting with a placemaking artist. “Placemaking is a multi-faceted approach to the planning, design, and management of public spaces. Placemaking capitalises on a local community's assets, inspiration, and potential, with the intention of creating public spaces that promote people's health, happiness, and well-being” (Wikipedia). Our project of creating information plaques for a playground is intrinsically related to this idea of ‘placemaking’, and as such, it is located in a broader cultural, social, and artistic context. In this session, we will meet with a placemaking artist, who will tell the students about projects they have carried out in different communities in order to expose students to this larger context and inspire ideas for their own project.

Format

Discussion
Lecture

Age

13-15

What

The possible connections with your curriculum

Art
Social Sciences

Who

The people who take up the teacher role

Expert

Where

The locations where learning takes place

Classroom
Digital space

With

The community stakeholders to collaborate with

Families

Ready for action?

Resources

Tangible Resources

Note paper and pen.

Human Resources

Artist from the community (parent).

Preparation

Using parental links, find an artist, arrange a meeting and coordinate expectations, prepare students for the meeting ensuring they have thought of questions.

Goals, messages & concepts

Specific goals

Gain familiarity with the concept of 'placemaking'
Inspire students by learning about other placemaking projects

Specific messages

Public spaces belong to the public and as such, everyone should have a say in its use, design, and visibility.

Main terms

Placemaking

Practices & skills

STEM practices

Asking questions and defining problems

Soft skills

Management skills

Course of activity

step 1

Before the session, students will prepare questions relating to placemaking.

step 2

Meet with a placemaking artist, who will tell the students about projects they have carried out in different communities, working to create public spaces which promote people's health, happiness, and well-being.

step 3

Students will then ask questions.