ABSTRACT

The “SPARK! Creative Placemaking Extension Toolkit” was developed as part of the “To support Integration of Creative Placemaking into Cooperative Extension Programming, a Knowledge Building Project.” The project aims to expand creative placemaking through Extension programming that can be applied nationally. The goal of the toolkit is to integrate creative placemaking into Cooperative Extension programming, spread knowledge, and enhance Cooperative Extension’s capacity to support investments that strengthen community livability.

The arts and placemaking core of the Community and Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky (CEDIK, now Blueprint Kentucky) and the Department of Landscape Architecture in the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment at the University of Kentucky partnered with the National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals (NACDEP) to expand Kentucky’s Arts Extension and placemaking programming practices across the country. “SPARK!” provides simple, practical ways to navigate creative placemaking efforts through the Cooperative Extension System. The thirteen creative placemaking activities were based on experiences and data from Kentucky to provide Extension educators with a working knowledge of arts and placemaking activities, evaluation indicators, scalable projects, and considerations for local policies. Eight activities are based on Arts Extension programming and five activities are based on community engagement efforts in projects. Each activity is structured to include a summary, background, process, outcome, key lessons, and a checklist and includes materials or example questions that educators can utilize to lead their own activities in their communities. With this toolkit, Extension professionals, local leaders, and volunteers can expand on delivering nontraditional arts- and place-based programs and activities that can build creative placemaking knowledge for enhanced livability in their community. The culmination is to convey a community-empowering arts and design–focused planning process to engage communities, capture dialogue, and express creativity.

The project partner, the National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals (NACDEP), helped bring the toolkit to a national audience of community development Extension professionals by hosting and housing the presentation, providing feedback, and helping distribute the publication of the toolkit. The team shared the knowledge of creative placemaking with members of NACDEP during an annual conference and webinar, and Extension educators during an in-state Extension conference. The toolkit is housed on the websites of CEDIK(Blueprint Kentucky) and the National Registry of Cooperative Extension Programs & Assets (NRCEPA) through eXtension. org, a digital training platform for Extension personnel nationwide. Overall, this project aims to enhance Cooperative Extension’s capacity to support community investments through creative placemaking.

The “SPARK! Creative Placemaking Extension Toolkit” was developed as part of the “To Support Integration of Creative Placemaking into Cooperative Extension Programming, a Knowledge Building Project” funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. The project aims to expand creative placemaking through Extension programming that can be applied nationally. The goal of the toolkit is to integrate creative placemaking into Cooperative Extension programming, spread knowledge, and enhance Cooperative Extension Service’s capacity to support investments that strengthen community livability. This project developed and distributed the “SPARK! Creative Placemaking Extension Toolkit” to provide simple, practical ways to navigate creative placemaking efforts through the Cooperative Extension System. The arts and placemaking core of the Community and Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky (CEDIK/Blueprint Kentucky) and the Department of Landscape Architecture in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment at the University of Kentucky partnered with the National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals (NACDEP) to expand Kentucky’s Arts Extension and placemaking programming practices across the country. 

The toolkit was developed based on research of Arts Extension and placemaking impacts in Kentucky. During the research phase, the project team researched and analyzed fifteen years of existing qualitative and quantitative Arts Extension data. Among the years, the team focused on and identified 396 Extension programs between 2013 and 2019. The programs supported themes of Artistic & Essential Skill Development, Enhancing the Creative Economy, and Quality Arts Engagement & Experiences. Out of numerous activities, thirteen creative placemaking activities were selected to be included in this toolkit which provides Extension educators, personnel, volunteers, and local leaders with a working knowledge of arts and placemaking activities, evaluation indicators, scalable projects, and considerations for local policies. In the Cooperative Extension System, all major areas of agriculture, family and consumer sciences, youth development, the arts, and community and economic development can be involved in creative placemaking. The selected activities can be interwoven and overlapped in various ways and provide a holistic approach for educating and enhancing vibrant communities. The activities can be delivered individually or combined to address larger goals, project, and needs. This publication, SPARK! Extension Creative Placemaking Toolkit, provides thirteen activities that Extension professionals can use to integrate creative placemaking efforts in extension programming. The activities can be offered alone or in sequence with other activities shared in the toolkit as part of creative placemaking endeavors in communities.

The team shared the knowledge with members of the National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals (NACDEP) and Extension educators in Kentucky. During the presentations, the project team disseminated knowledge of arts, community design, and placemaking programs and projects that have been successful in Kentucky and have great potential to educate and benefit Cooperative Extension Services in other states exploring ways to implement creative placemaking in their communities. The NACDEP presentations are housed in NACDEP’s Youtube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/ channel/UC6jgLtvNTItp0ucgmrw4XPA). The toolkit is housed on the websites of Blueprint Kentucky (http://blueprintkentucky.mgcafe.uky.edu/spark) and the National Registry of Cooperative Extension Programs & Assets (NRCEPA) through eXtension.org, a digital training platform for Extension personnel nationwide (search “SPARK!” at https://registry.extension.org/tables/210738947796171 ).

With proper planning and thorough consideration, any Cooperative Extension system can enhance their Extension engagement by incorporating arts, placemaking, and design into their existing community and economic development efforts. For best practices, a consistent system of reporting the programs or work plans, activities, and success stories, as well as clear guidelines on what should be reported and where, is recommended. 

Overall, this project found that although Extension agents, personnel, and project leaders may be trained in a specific arts discipline, with time, interest, effort, and collaboration, project leaders can expand and extend their areas of expertise to include creative placemaking efforts in their communities. With this toolkit, Extension professionals, local leaders, and volunteers can expand on delivering nontraditional arts- and place-based programs and activities that can build creative placemaking knowledge for enhanced livability in a community. The culmination is to convey a community-empowering arts and design–focused planning process to engage communities, capture dialogue, and express creativity.

The thirteen creative placemaking activities were based on experiences and data from Kentucky to provide Extension educators with a working knowledge of arts and placemaking activities, evaluation indicators, scalable projects, and considerations for local policies. Eight activities are based on Arts Extension programming and five activities are based on community engagement efforts in projects. Each activity is structured to include a summary, background, process, outcome, key lessons, and a checklist and includes materials or example questions that educators can utilize to lead their own activities in their communities. 

With this toolkit, Extension professionals, local leaders, and volunteers can expand on delivering nontraditional arts- and place-based programs and activities that can build creative placemaking knowledge for enhanced livability in their community. The culmination is to convey a community-empowering arts and design–focused planning process to engage communities, capture dialogue, and express creativity.

If you have questions about the toolkit reach out to Jayoung Koo, Associate Extension Professor, or Melissa Bond, Extension Director for CED and Community Arts, Blueprint Kentucky.

Download SPARK! Toolkit