Rocco Landesman, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, announced grants for urban projects under the MICD (Mayors’ Institute on City Design) program.

“Since its inception in 1986, more than 800 mayors from 600 cities — from small town to metropolises — have participated in a session of the MICD. These mayors learn that through design and the engagement of arts and cultural activities, communities experience a celebration of place that can have a powerful impact on community sustainability and vitality. This place-making is accomplished by providing opportunities for creativity, building social networks, facilitating connections across geographic boundaries, and serving as magnets for attracting a vibrant workforce.”

I am really excited about this guy, mostly because he seems to be the first person in government who recognizes that artists are actually citizens:

Artists are entrepreneurs, small business owners all, great placemakers and community builders. Bring artists into the center of town and that town changes profoundly. We know now that people do not migrate to businesses, it is the other way around. Businesses look for a skilled, motivated, educated workforce, and will move to where that is. And what does that workforce look for? In survey after survey, the answer is education and culture.

Anyway, these aren’t just grants for plop art or designer benches. Examples under the category “Arts Engagement” include:

• The transformation of community sites into public spaces for cultural activities.
• Projects which contribute to cultural vitality and a sense of place such as innovative community engagement projects, including festivals, community-wide celebrations, outdoor exhibitions, and learning opportunities; and the commissioning of temporary and/or permanent site-specific public art such as murals and sculptures, sculpture gardens, and waterfront art walks.
• New media or technology projects that connect citizens to cultural activities or engage them in participating in city planning or design projects.

Apply here, though there are some pretty limiting eligibility requirements including eligible cities (sorry NYC), matching funding, and recognized partnerships with a town.