It is with immense personal and professional pride that I can share the announcement that Futurecity Partner Sherry Dobbin has been appointed to the role of Chair of the Urban Land Institute UK’s Urban Art Forum (UAF). 

UAF is a ULI-UK initiative that brings together the cultural and creative industries with the property sector, to advocate creative placemaking as inherent social and economic value for all development. The Forum was established two years ago by ULI global trustee Christopher Choa and PLP Principal, Hala el Akl, who served as the first Chair. During that time, Sherry was a key co-author in the publication, Including Culture in Development which was launched at the GLA (Greater London Authority) City Hall on 23 October 2019.

She is uniquely positioned for this role, bringing her global experience of producing, managing and curating a raft of different art forms at the highest level, from theatre, dance and opera to developing an internationally-recognized public-art program as Director of Times Square Arts. 

 “Urban Art Forum found that there was much synergy and shared ambition already existing between the built environment sector and the cultural and creative sectors and what is needed are ways to guide more ambitious ideas, better dialogue and resources between the sector and tools to enable faster, cultural activities to take place.  We are past the stage of trying to convince the appeal of arts & culture, and at the stage where we all need more evidence and assistance to effect authentic and distinctive places and opportunities. I am honoured to assist and expand this powerful group of experts to create change and broaden the distribution of Including Culture in Development and share the UK’s best practice with the ULI global community.” – Sherry Dobbin 

Futurecity has been bridging these sectors since 2007, across a myriad of scales of development in London, the UK, Europe, Australia and the USA.  Our core team and group of associates represent diverse expertise and work collaboratively between private and public sectors to achieve meaningful placemaking strategies and landmark public art commissions. Since joining Futurecity in 2017, Sherry has used the exposure to our global real-estate projects to develop complex partnerships, projects and collaborations between the property sector, city authorities and the cultural sector; most recently the move of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to Wembley Park

– Mark Davy, Founder of Futurecity

For official ULI announcement

See Past Futurecity Cultural Placemaking Strategies and Public Art Delivery