GCDN Annual Convening – Lugano 2022

Safety, accessibility and equity are important elements of how public spaces are designed, perceived, and programmed. While managers of great public spaces invest a great deal of resources, thought, and care into making people feel safe and welcome, history has unfortunately shown us that securing high profile sites and large-scale events from harm is challenging. This reality is further complicated as users of public spaces are often a broad constituency, including many historically underrepresented communities and cultures. The complexities involved with managing and operating safe public spaces requires cross-sector partners who are committed to promoting public safety while preserving human dignity.

Cultural districts have a natural, mission-driven advantage to employ artists, culture bearers and designers to shape the physical spaces, program offerings, and policies. This panel will look at principles for how inclusive public space organized around arts and culture can look and feel, will consider whose safety is prioritized in these spaces, and will offer some best practices and lessons learned.