The Artist of the Planning Department

The Boston area's Metropolitan Area Planning Council has an Artist-in-Residence Program that brings arts to the table as an integral component of the planning process.

1 minute read

February 22, 2019, 9:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Cambridge, Massachusetts

EQRoy / Shutterstock

Carolyn Lewenberg is the artist-in-residence at the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, finishing 18 months in the MAPC Artist-in-Residence Program and writing on the subject for the Barr Foundation website.

"The goal of the MAPC Artist-in-Residence Program is to bring arts, culture, and creativity into the agency’s multidisciplinary planning work with cities, towns, and other organizations," according to the website.

As for Lewenberg's work during the 18-month span:

Over the last 18 months, I’ve worked with 10 different planners at the agency (in a variety of departments - from Land Use, Public Health, Environment, Government Affairs, and Strategic Initiatives). I was also involved in project development conversations with Municipal Collaboration, Transportation, Clean Energy, and Data Services. To see images and read descriptions of all the projects I worked on, visit my reflection for MAPC.

Over the rest of the article, Lewenberg digs into some of the highlights and challenges of participating in the program, and her work will take her in the future.

Wednesday, February 20, 2019 in Barr Foundation

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

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