Friday, June 26th, 3:15 PM – 4:30 PM
Storytelling Through Place: Design, Public Art, and Community Identity
with Lydia Gikas Cook
Across cities and neighborhoods, placemaking practitioners are using storytelling, design, and public art to strengthen belonging and guide community reinvestment without erasing local identity. This panel brings together leaders in public art, landscape architecture, and civic design to share approaches that center memory, lived experience, and authentic engagement. Through examples ranging from Detroit’s Arts Alleys to community-driven memorials and resilient landscape strategies, speakers will explore how creative practice can help communities navigate change, address social and environmental challenges, and shape more inclusive futures. Participants will gain practical tools for using story-based design to support resilience, transparency, and cultural continuity.
Speakers
Visit the event site to learn more.