Grassroots Level – The CSPA

MAS Summit for New York City

This October, the Municipal Art Society will convene its first conference devoted to New Yorkâ€™s livability, examining the challenges the city faces in its seemingly contradictory roles as a growing global capital and as a city of unique neighborhoods. Â More than 400 civic-minded New Yorkers and leaders in the fields of urban planning and design, housing, economics, and research and development will gather to discuss whether the many diverse corners of New York can retain a small town feel while facing significant increases in population.

Day One â€“ Thursday, October 21

The Summit will begin by examining who lives in New York, what New Yorkers feel makes our diverse communities livable and where they think New York falls short.Â Then, the focus will shift to learning how real change is created on a grassroots level with civic participation.Â Finally, we will explore new media and how its proliferation is transforming the cityâ€™s development and growth in surprising ways.

Keynote:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The Big Idea â€“ Livability
Panel:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Release of and Reaction to the MAS Survey on Livability
Panel:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Demographics in a Changing New York
Panel: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Civic Activism in the Spirit of Jane Jacobs
Panel: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Art Works
Panel:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â People Behind the Screens: Social Media and New York City Bloggers
Presentation: Â New Tools for Civic Engagement: Betaville

Evening Program
MASterworks Design Awards, sponsored by Helaba Landesbank Hessen-ThÃ¼ringen â€“ 6:00 p.m.

Day Two â€“ Friday, October 22

Day Two of the Summit will examine new ideas on how leveraging private investment with public policy is driving the future of New York.Â Summit panels will address specific issues that are of vital importance to all New Yorkers including access to sustainable housing, preservation of manufacturing neighborhoods, recreation of transportation hubs, and access to public spaces and the arts.

Tours:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Morning Walk or Bike to the Summit (guided)
Keynote: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Public and Private Investment in a Livable City
Panel: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Moynihan Station and the Far West Side
Panel: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Garment District
Panel: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Sustainable Housing
Tours: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â James A. Farley Post Office and â€œUglyâ€ Streets
Presentation: Â Â Yolanda Garcia Community Planner Award
Keynote: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Reclaiming the Public Realm
Panel:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Vibrant Neighborhoods
Keynote:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Closing Keynote

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Inhabitat Interview – Ian Garrett Reports on COP15 and the Arts #COP15

Moe Beitiks of Inhabitat (amongst other things) conducted an email interview with CSPA Executive Director, Ian Garrett (Me). Â You can see the whole things here:

INTERVIEW: Ian Garrett Reports on COP15 and the Arts | Inhabitat.

Some Excerpts:

INHABITAT: What were your cultural expectations for Copenhagen?

GARRETT: At this point, I donâ€™t know what my expectations are. Iâ€™m a big fan of the idea that if you get a lot of people together in one spot, talking about a thing, things can happen. The feeling I have from the news out of here and being in the streets is that there is going to be more civilian change out of this than there will be government change. My hope is that, with this many people of divergent origins, with the efforts being made from a cultural end, that it will reify something at the grassroots level. I can only hope that it makes it upwards, because that doesnâ€™t seem like the case at the Bella Center.

INHABITAT: What have been some standout experiences thus far? What artworks have struck a chord, and why?

GARRETT: Itâ€™s hard to tell right now, there is so much more to see in this next week, but if I chose now my vote is in for wooloo.orgâ€™s efforts and partnerships. Theyâ€™ve got Superflexâ€™s sustainable burial contracts, the Yes Menâ€™s Coca-Cola Pledge and New Life Copenhagen. Everything they are doing is very much in the spirit of unity and many people doing small things towards a bigger goal. I think thatâ€™s a message in and of itself. And since all three of the projects I mentioned rely on documentation and masses of people as the documenters I think that itâ€™s got the potential to show the most real human aspects of the issues being discussed and the opportunities to work together.

There is the common thread these days of â€œChanging light bulbs wonâ€™t save the world.â€ Which is true, but you know, ultimately if everyone change all light bulbs, sure it would do something about energy use. The point being that lots of people making small efforts arenâ€™t to be scoffed at. Itâ€™s those sort of efforts, that when combined, lead to tipping points. We just arenâ€™t there yet, and light bulbs have no future as a tipping point for the climate.