P.S. You Are Here

The Denver Arts & Venues (DAV) P.S. You Are Here (PSYAH) program is a creative placemaking initiative designed to support short-term, collaborative, and community-led projects that transform Denver's outdoor public spaces. While the description doesn't explicitly detail a "foundation mission alignment," it clearly aligns with the broader goal of Denver Arts & Venues to enrich the lives of Denver residents and visitors by integrating arts, culture, and creativity into daily life. The program acts as a catalyst for community engagement and cultural expression, directly contributing to a "Vibrant Denver" by enlivening neighborhoods and downtown areas through artistic and functional interventions. The target beneficiaries of the PSYAH program are diverse, encompassing individuals, entities, and organizations connected to specific Denver neighborhoods. This includes neighborhood-based groups, Registered Neighborhood Organizations (RNOs), Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), special districts, creative districts, place-based organizations or businesses (both non-profit and for-profit), and individuals who either reside or work in the neighborhood or are working with one of the aforementioned groups. The program aims to impact these communities by fostering collaboration, promoting cultural diversity, social equity, inclusion, and accessibility, and ultimately creating public spaces that enhance health, happiness, and well-being. The program's priorities and focuses are centered on community-led, physical projects displayed in public spaces. These can range from design interventions, community projects, and artistic interpretations to public art, streetscaping, landscaping, and functional public amenities like decorative benches and bicycle racks. The underlying emphasis is on projects that inspire creative and innovative thinking, showcase local talent, nurture community identity and heritage, and promote vibrant communities as destinations to live, work, and play. The program actively encourages partnerships among artists, performers, businesses, and organizations to achieve these goals. The expected outcomes and measurable results are tied to the program's stated goals. These include engaging the public across all 11 council districts, demonstrating cultural diversity and social equity through arts engagement, enriching lives, fostering community collaboration, creating public spaces that promote well-being, cultivating a sense of place and belonging, promoting diverse communities, nurturing community identity, inspiring innovation, and showcasing local talent. While specific metrics are not provided in the description, the program's success would likely be measured by the number and variety of projects implemented, the level of community participation and satisfaction, and the visible improvements and enhancements to public spaces. The strategic priorities and theory of change for the PSYAH program are implicit in its design. The theory of change posits that by investing $70,000 in neighborhood-based creative placemaking projects, Denver Arts & Venues can empower local communities to transform their public spaces. This transformation, in turn, will lead to increased public engagement, a stronger sense of community identity, enhanced cultural vibrancy, and improved quality of life for residents and visitors. The program's focus on short-term, collaborative, and community-led initiatives allows for flexible and responsive interventions that directly address local needs and aspirations, thereby fostering a more inclusive and energized urban environment.