Wednesday, March 19, 2025, 12:00PM-1:30PM EDT | 1.5 LU Credit
In this session, attendees will hear from leaders in architecture as they share their experiences with creating public events and displays that present design and architecture as platforms for raising awareness of critical issues to make real impact within their communities. Drawing on the success of several differently scaled public demonstrations, the presenters offer practical roadmaps for multi-stakeholder partnerships to create design-focused events that engage, delight, illuminate, and inspire.
Case studies presented range in scale and scope from a single alley way community center to sprawling week- and multiweek events with multiple built structures. Attendees acquire tools and methods for forming partnerships, developing budgets and schedules, integrating social media strategy, and raising funds to benefit social causes and nonprofit partners, which they can bring back to their own communities to create new and innovative events and exhibitions that leverage design in the public sphere to spur conversation and make direct in support of social goals.
Learning Objectives
By attending this program, participants will be able to:
1. Communicate the importance of championing progress on social issues and the local individuals and organizations tackling them, and how architecture and design can serve as a catalyst for change by addressing those issues while also bringing wider attention to them.
2. Outline strategies for organizing peers and community partners in support of innovative community activities at a range of scales, integrating the seemingly disparate elements of social engagement, multimedia communication, physical displays, advocacy efforts, and small-scale architecture.
3. Establish budgetary frameworks and schedules for creating and launching events and projects while leveraging social media and existing popular events to draw attention and build momentum.
4. Develop a sustainable long-term vision for projects, competitions and events in which the lead-up generates excitement and the “long tail” sustains fundraising and continued awareness, as supported by participating peers, nonprofit partners, community leaders and the public.
Register here | AIA Members (all states): $45 | Non-members: $75