placemaking

1. Recognize and respect cultural “dark matter” as a
community asset.
Many astrophysicists believe that the universe is held
together by a substance called “dark matter”—it cannot be
seen or measured but makes up the majority of the mass
of the universe. In creative placemaking, dark matter is the
stuff that holds a community together—like history, memory,
and relationships. It is impossible to measure and is often
overlooked in development initiatives. However, without
this dark matter, a community cannot function.
(-^)
Performers of Cry
You One, in which
audiences participate
in this performance
about Louisiana’s
disappearing coastal
communities.
PHOTO BY
MELISA CARDONA
PHOTOGRAPHY
Very few new development projects are happening in
communities that are void of people or history. What makes
culture bearers, artists, elders, and historians integral to
community development is not only their understanding of
how and why a community works the way that it does but also
their ability to identify, witness, and translate this history—
dark matter—into art, creative process, and visioning.
Culture bearers are those members of a community that
HOW TO DO CREATIVE PLACEMAKING • 11