What better way to spend a Friday than with a group a data enthusiasts? We at PolicyMap attended our first ever Baltimore Data Day : an annual workshop about data, tech and best practices. At the afternoon session , “Using Data to Identify Opportunities For Creative Placemaking,” we helped neighborhood groups, government officials and developers understand how to use PolicyMap in targeting arts-related investments. Mark Treskon from the Urban Institute took us on a tour of Station North Arts and showed us their work there, with a fascinating discussion about the local data available through Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance (BNIA). Priya Bhayana at the Bromo Arts & Entertainment District shared her informative experiences and challenges with employing the arts as a community development strategy in Baltimore. And Krista Green at Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts (BOPA) framed the conversation, bringing together the common threads of the conversation and synthesizing our contributions for the audience.
Here at PolicyMap we love working on arts-related projects like CultureBlocks and a mapping project currently that’s underway for ArtsWave in Cincinnati. We hope to have the opportunity to contribute to the conversation about the arts in Baltimore, as well!