Placemaking is more than just urban planning—it’s a collaborative effort to transform public spaces into vibrant, inclusive and functional environments that truly reflect the identity and needs of a community. Rather than focusing solely on design, placemaking prioritizes the experiences and connections a space creates, ensuring it serves the people who use it every day. We asked a few local art and community leaders to share their views on community placemaking and what steps they are taking to make a difference and better shape the local art community.
Why Placemaking Matters
Community placemaking is a collaborative process that transforms public spaces into vibrant, inclusive areas that reflect a community’s identity, culture and aspirations. Kalonji Gilchrist, Founder and Executive Director of 21 Dreams Art & Culture highlights its importance in promoting community engagement, influencing future development and amplifying a community’s identity through remembrance work. Lois Cortell, Senior Development Manager for Montgomery’s Economic and Community Development Team, stated that placemaking is about “creating a place, not a design.” She emphasizes the need to build destinations that enhance quality of life, attract visitors and support local businesses.
Kevin King, Founder and Executive Director of the King’s Canvas Gallery and Studio, further stresses the value of inclusive spaces, emphasizing that placemaking should reflect the community’s priorities rather than external aesthetics.
“The goal is to build places that meet the community’s needs and create a sense of ownership and belonging,” King says. By prioritizing community voices and inclusivity, placemaking builds stronger connections, brings people together and ensures that all individuals feel welcomed. More than just shaping physical spaces, it influences how people experience and interact with their environment, making communities more engaged, connected and resilient.
Recent and Upcoming Projects
Both King and Gilchrist have been instrumental in spearheading placemaking projects in Montgomery. Two standout examples are The King’s Canvas gallery and studio and the renovation of the More Up Campus along with Michelle Browder, which pays tribute to the story of Anarcha, Lucy and Betsey (“the Mothers of Gynecology”). These projects serve as cultural hubs that bring the community together through art and storytelling.
“One of the projects I’m most proud of is taking a vacant property on the historic Selma-to-Montgomery March Voters Rights Trail and turning it into something that serves the community,” says King. “Using creative placemaking strategies, we’ve created an outdoor performance space, an art gallery and an art studio. Our work has already sparked more growth in the area.”
“We’re not just imagining change; we’re making it happen,” says King.
Rotary Park in downtown Montgomery is an example of intentional placemaking. Collaborating with the Rotary Club, the City of Montgomery transformed this central space, adding a vibrant mural, a dog park and features designed to activate the space. “We wanted to create a place where people could gather, connect and enjoy their city,” says Cortell. “By incorporating food truck spots with free power, shaded seating areas and public art, we’re making the park an active, welcoming space.”
Economic Impact of Creating Spaces
By enhancing the quality of shared public spaces and inspiring people through art, community placemaking serves as a catalyst for economic development. It creates vibrant districts that draw visitors to shop, dine and explore while encouraging them to stick around for unplanned entertainment.
The newest extension of the Riverfront Greenway Trail north from Downtown demonstrates this impact. With over 250,000 visitors annually, the Riverfront Trail generates an estimated $8 to $9.6 million in economic activity, supports up to 90 full-time jobs and contributes up to $56,000 in local tax revenues while raising nearby property values by up to 6%.
“Montgomery is actively shaping its future through placemaking,” says Cortell. “We’re not just planning spaces; we’re fostering a sense of belonging and creating places where people want to stay, work and build their lives.”
Join creative placemaking communities and the King’s Canvas on April 1-3, 2025 for the Power of Community – South and Appalachian Creative Placemaking Conference in Montgomery. The featured keynote speaker will be internationally renowned attorney and Civil Rights leader Bryan Stevenson.
Meet the Placemakers
Kalonji Gilchrist
Kalonji Gilchrist is a filmmaker, curator and cultural organizer. He is the Founder/Executive Director of 21 Dreams Arts & Culture and the owner of KHARI Creative. A Montgomery native and community influencer, Gilchrist prioritizes building partnerships to leverage local talent, resources and communities to amplify the power of the arts. Using visual arts exhibitions, murals, music, food, dance and storytelling, he ensures that the culture and stories of the past are honored while creating pathways for future expressions.
FUN FACTS:
- Out of Office: Exploring other communities and cultures inspires him and refills his creative cup.
- On Gilchrist’s Playlist: Common & Pete Rock’s “We’re On Our Way”
- Best Advice: “Save during your ‘feast’ days because the ‘famine’ will surely come.”
Kevin King
Kevin King is a leader, arts advocate and strategist committed to using the arts to drive meaningful community change. As Executive Director of the King’s Canvas, he empowers artists by providing the tools and opportunities they need to thrive. Through his consulting work with Creative Community Strategies LLC, he also helps organizations and individuals integrate art and culture into community and economic development.
FUN FACTS:
- On King’s Playlist: Jonathan Michael Avant’s “Purpose”
- Best Advice: “Fall in love with the problem, not the solution.”- Boyd Stephens
- Proudest Achievement: The birth of his only daughter, Kaiya Denise King, and creating the King’s Canvas.
Featured Artists:
MILTON MADISON
Milton Madison was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. His works have been featured at the National Center for the Study of Civil Rights and African-American Culture, the Birmingham Public Library and the Rosa Parks Museum, and more recently, 21 Dreams Arts and Culture, the King’s Canvas Gallery, Valiant Gallery and MAP360 Gallery.
Notable Works:
With assistance from local artist Sunny Paulk, Milton designed and painted his first mural at That’s My Child. Since then, he has assisted in multiple local projects, including the Black Lives Matters mural at Montgomery’s Historic Dexter Ave fountain and the “Are You Listening” mural featured in the Washington Post. He has recently completed inspiring murals at Dozier and Highland Gardens elementary schools.
GENEVA M. WATFORD
Geneva M. Watford is a storyteller/producer at the intersection of wellness, culture and equity. She is the founder of GMW Living, and she is the Director of MAP360 Gallery while also serving on the Main Street Montgomery and Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts community boards.
Notable Works:
Watford helped launch the Mothers of Gynecology Park and produced MAP360’s first Arts In Motion Festival. She organized a Juneteenth popup shop at Kress, assisted Air University’s Innovation Accelerator and helped open The Eagle Institute. Most recently, she launched MAP360 HQ and Gallery and hosted the first Capital Matters Wealth Equity Symposium.
ALISA BECK
Alisa Beck is an Alabama native who has worked as an artist in Montgomery for over 30 years. She devoted six years as the Executive Secretary for the Montgomery Art Guild and spent two years traveling across five states, teaching her unique palette knife technique and endorsing art products. Her achievements include solo exhibitions, gallery representation and her impactful role in community art initiatives.
Notable Works:
Her notable works include Hope Floats, a collaboration with the Montgomery Lions Club, and she worked with the Montgomery Art Center Initiative. She also contributed to Scarecrows on Parade at Old Alabama Town and helped organize the Art Stroll.
