Mark Davy is in San Francisco this week to join a panel at the International Downtown Association Conference in San Francisco.

This year’s conference theme – Bridge the Gap – looks at how innovation, inclusion, and inspiration bridge common issues facing downtowns and urban districts from coast to coast. District management organizations “bridge the gap” every day, delivering elevated public services and enhanced local economic development in a dynamic, changing marketplace. As we explore increasingly complex urban systems, learn how public-private partnership organizations can become an influential voice and frame the discussion of shared economies, disruptive technologies, equity, sustainability, and more as positive contributors to vibrant places.

Mark Davy will be speaking on Thursday October 1st in the afternoon on ‘Creative Placemaking: Trends, Topics & Funding’, together with funders and practitioners from the US National Endowment of the Arts and Art Place America, to talk about the growing field of creative placemaking: how it is evolving, what is being funded, how partnerships with arts organizations are being formed, and how success is being measured. There will also be an articulation and acknowledgment of special challenges being faced in the field.

In addition, there will be a focus on how arts and creative-placemaking efforts (current or future) can be part of an IDA-led research effort to identify best practices and trends among town center, downtown and urban revitalisation practitioners.

Futurecity are thrilled to join in these conversations and look forward to meeting new faces in California.