Re-creating community spaces and practices: Perspectives from artists and f unders of creative placemaking

摘要

Creative placemaking occurs in various forms. In this article, four creative place-making events are evaluated in a single case study from the perspectives of artists andfunders to ascertain their understanding of creative placemaking and the contributions that these events make to the community. Situated within critical realism and realist evaluation frameworks, this case study included interviews with five artists and five funders. Three themes were identified from the findings: mechanisms for achieving more inclusive communities; mechanisms for re-creating spaces; and creative contributions now and beyond. Together these were developed into a middle-range theory that suggests that collaboration, connectivity, creating space and altruism can be potential mechanisms leading to a stronger sense of belonging, social cohesion and inclusion. However, the context in which these mechanisms take place plays a substantive role in inhibiting or facilitating these processes.