Discover the creative projects building local communities
Building community is easier said than done. Bringing people together and fostering a sense of fellowship is by no means straightforward. And nor is there a surefire recipe for achieving it. Each city has its own unique characteristics and circumstances, requiring a different approach.
For some, community cafes and community gardens have filled this space, attracting local residents to contribute towards a common goal. However, this can also be attained with some real ‘out of the box’ ideas. Here are five great examples:
- Giving a home to the homeless
In northern England, a quiet housing revolution is taking place. Canopy renovates empty and derelict houses in Leeds that have been standing empty for years — Local volunteers, including the people who will eventually live in these buildings, help to transform them. They become homes for those that would otherwise struggle to put a roof over their heads. The tenants get a place to live, the volunteers get to make a meaningful contribution and the local community sees an abandoned property become a warm home. Everyone’s a winner.
- Strangers telling their story
The Strangers Project makes city residents a little more connected, one handwritten page at a time. It started in 2009, when Brandon Doman was sitting in a café in Ann Arbor, Michigan. With time on his hands, he decided to get a few people to stop for a moment, and share something about their lives. This has mushroomed into a collection of 21,000 personal stories, a selection of which he has displayed in open public spaces in 80 US cities. The result is people who feel just a little more connected to one another.
- The solar-powered cinema!
You have to pay attention, when the slogan is “Turning fun into sun!” Imagine watching movies while doing something good for the environment at the same time — The Sol Cinema is a mobile outdoor cinema in a vintage caravan powered entirely by Solar energy. Seating just a dozen people for each screening, it has entertained thousands while touring Wales, England and Ireland. And although there are a variety of movies on offer, all visitors learn about the value of the environment to their community.
- Everybody needs good neighbours
Neighbour Day is Australia’s annual celebration of community, bringing together the people next door, across the street or on the next farm for a beer, a barbie or just a cuppa. Held on the last Sunday in March every year, there is a different theme to the day each year. Residents are encouraged to hold a social gathering, big or small, or simply to send a message of thanks to a neighbour. And hopefully, at the end of it all, everyone will know each other just a little bit better. Isn’t that what community is about?
Using the power of art
Founded in 1986, the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Programs initially began as an initiative to tackle graffiti. Today, the program invites graffiti artists and local residents to contribute their creative visions to each project. The result is impressive — Around 600 murals have been created throughout the city. In fact, you can even do a tour of them! By pairing artists and local residents together, the program has enhanced local pride and transformed urban spaces into communal areas.
