Placekeeping and Practice
Safeguarding our soul
Tuesday, October 23, 10:00am – 11:30am
Organized by Shelley Trott, director, Arts Strategy & Ventures, Kenneth Rainin Foundation; and Roberto Bedoya, manager of Cultural Affairs, City of Oakland.
Moderated by Roberto Bedoya, manager of Cultural Affairs, City of Oakland. Presented by Moy Eng, executive director, Community Arts Stabilization Trust; Kelley Kahn, policy director of Art Spaces, City of Oakland; and Seven Asefaha, founder, Alena Museum.
Displacement and gentrification are not unique to the Bay Area. Artists and cultural organizations in urban centers across the country are struggling to afford the cost of renting or owning commercial real estate. Census data shows double-digit population growth in major US cities including San Francisco, Oakland, Boston, New York, Seattle, Denver, Nashville, and Austin. Oakland presents a unique challenge as its arts ecosystem is made up of a diverse array of community-based grassroots organizations, DIY performance collectives and spaces, and entrepreneurial artists and makers. Placekeeping puts the people who live in a place at the center of the frame as well as their right to make and keep the places where they live and work. People’s ability to stay in their community is linked to their ability to keep their culture and their connections alive, retain the meaning that resides in place, and foster a sense of belonging. What does the culture of placekeeping look like? What are the tools that promote people’s ability to thrive in place? Learn how a cross-sector group of stakeholders in arts philanthropy, community development, city government, and nonprofit real estate development are working together to preserve Oakland’s unique cultural vitality amid escalating economic pressures. Presenters will discuss the impact of displacement and the experiences of “root shock” on artists and communities, and share how placekeeping policies intersect with short and long-term displacement mitigation strategies to change the paradigm.