City of Boulder Integrates Public Art Into City Planning With “Experiments in Public Art” Series

The City of Boulder is reimagining how communities participate in urban planning by weaving public art into the planning process. Through its Experiments in Public Art initiative, the city is using creative expression to simplify complex planning topics, elevate diverse community voices and engage historically excluded groups in shaping Boulder’s future.

“Creative activities allow people to connect to big ideas in small, personal ways,” said Lauren Click, Arts and Culture Manager, “and that connection is essential to building a community plan that truly reflects the diversity and aspirations of everyone who lives here.”

Community Call: Voicing Boulder

As part of the initiative, the city invites community members to participate in Voicing Boulder, a new project led by local artist Chris Carruth. Participants are encouraged to submit photographs of meaningful places, objects or scenes around Boulder, paired with short written or audio reflections that reflect their desires for the city’s future through topics like food systems, climate action and more. This input will help shape policies for the plan. Submissions will be accepted through this fall, and details on how to participate are available on the Voicing Boulder website.

Ongoing Project: Personal Geographies

Artists Becky Wareing Steele and Shannon Geis are collaborating with the city’s planning and engagement teams to explore lived experiences about place through art. Inspired by stories collected during the Community Assembly, the artists are conducting interviews and transforming personal narratives into small-scale sculptures. Each sculpture will be accompanied by edited audio clips that offer deeper insight into individual perspectives and reflections gathered during the assembly process.

Completed Projects: Motus Playback Theater & Boulder’s Big Adventure

In the Motus Playback Theater interactive performance series, community members shared personal stories about their vision for Boulder. A diverse ensemble of professional improv actors then transformed those stories into powerful performances using movement, music and spoken word – fostering connection, creativity and deeper civic engagement.

To help make the technical language of urban planning more accessible, illustrator Cal Brackin created a playful visual guide to topics like transportation, sustainability, public safety, health and economic resilience. These illustrations became the foundation for Boulder’s Big Adventure, a children’s book designed to help young families engage with the planning process. Brackin’s illustrations can also be seen on the cover of the city’s most recent Community Newsletter.

Upcoming Project: Community Mural

A final artist will be selected to create a public mural commemorating the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan update. This artwork will serve as a lasting symbol of the community’s collective vision and the plan’s 20-year planning horizon. Progress updates will be shared on the city’s website and social media channels.

To learn more about Experiments in Public Art and its integration into the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan update, visit the Experiments in Public Art webpage. You can find more information about the comprehensive plan update at ABoulderFuture.org.