30 Ideas in 30 Days
Getting people to show up is key to success with your Better Block event.
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| Turnout is key for a successful Better Block event. Credit: Team Better Block. |
Communities with an
existing organizational and civic infrastructure to support the work that goes
into planning a Better Block event are at a competitive advantage to those
without. Having a strong knowledge of who the important people and
organizations in a community is key.
In the first half of the
twentieth century community planning was dominated by large government and institutional
actors. In the second half of the century the role of the citizen increased,
with a higher value placed on gathering community input. This impulse was
powerfully expressed through the emergence of the modern historic preservation
movement that was grassroots and community based by its nature. More recently
the Tactical Urbanism and Better Block movements have sought to place the power
to act and transform places into the hands of citizens.
Direct action by
citizens yields multiple benefits. Community participation in the planning and
execution of the events instills a level of buy-in and support. Once the event
is over the responsibility for stewardship rests with the community too. The
community or the public is then responsible for moving forward with ideas
generated after the event.
Rallying the community
and building their support for the event is key. The first step in doing so is
identifying leaders. This need not necessarily be elected officials, though
their support certainly helps. Instead it is the building owners, business owners,
and civic leaders who have the ability to get results when asked. These people
will form the inner circle of a project team.
Then it is important to
branch out from leaders to the general public to find volunteers who will be responsible
for carrying out the work of the event. Social media tools like Facebook and
Twitter are a powerful way to connect with these people in your community.
Consistently putting your message out about what you are trying to accomplish
has the potential to attract many people who may have never had contact with
your organization, or never thought of themselves as change agents.
Public meetings are
valuable for identifying shared goals. This also helps to bring out the best
ideas a community has for itself, while downplaying those that do not help to
realize shared goals.
Finally, one of the keys
to success for any Better Block is having a great turnout during the event
itself. Using any and every communication tool at your disposal will help to
make this happen. If properly organized, the excitement people have for the
event will cause them to enlist the support of their family, co-workers and
friends. Providing opportunities for businesses or organizations to sign up
their members or employees en masse helps to build up large numbers. Canvassing
and one-on-one outreach helps. Finally, answering “yes” to anyone who has an
interest in participating guarantees you’ll have a good sized crowd.
Ultimately the value and
power of encouraging public participation is that this display of community
support can be used to attract the attention of policy makers, investors,
foundations, and others who want to support places with a strong civic
infrastructure. So, in a way, the efforts to mobilize support for community
projects initiates a virtuous cycle that attracts further support to realize
the very visions the community defines for itself.
For more information, please see:
- “Public Participation in Preservation Planning,” National Park Service, http://www.cr.nps.gov/hps/pad/plancompan/PublicPartic
- Beyond Temporary, Fernanda Sotelo, 2012, http://academiccommons.columbia.edu/item/ac:162140
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| This banner on our Facebook page encouraged people to RSVP for a Facebook event. Credit: Discover Downtown Middlesboro. |
Better Block Middlesborough was held from October 25-27, 2013, in Middlesborough, Kentucky. To help with planning for future events like this, please consider making a donation today!
Managing the Event
- #1: Think Incrementally
- #2: Build a Better Block
- #3: Encourage Public Participation
- #4: Temporary to Permanent
- #5: Pre-Vitalization
- #6: Leverage the Power of the Crowd
- #7: Raise the Funds You'll Need
- #8: The Strength of Main Street
- #9: Sidewalk Stencils and Signs
- #10: Blackmail Yourself
Welcoming People
- #11 The Power of 10
- #12 Walk [Your City]
- #13 Mobile Vendors
- #14 Food Trucks and Carts
- #15 Plant Trees
- #16 Cover Up Blank Walls
- #17 Free Library
- #18 Pop-up Parks
- #19 Pop-Up Shops
- #20 Temporary Improvements Encourage Historic Preservation Planning
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