Megan Grubb has been working with McClure Placemaking on the development of a placemaking roadmap for the City of Cabot, Arkansas. The “roadmap” will serve as an action plan to gather ideas from the people of Cabot on the future of their community, and compile strategies to execute those ideas.

McClure Placemaking specializes in creative placemaking, a people-centered approach to building communities that involves learning a community’s needs, addressing its challenges, and providing it with a comprehensive strategy. The goal is to create economic and population growth through cultural and business amenities, concepts, and projects.

McClure Placemaking was pulled into the project by the Cabot Foundation for Arts and Culture, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to encourage and promote community through the advancement of arts and culture in Cabot.

Grubb, who started her work with McClure in early June, is interviewing community members throughout Cabot – citizens, business owners, city employees, elected officials, students – to gather their ideas.

“I am continuing to analyze the data we collected at the beginning of June from the visioning sessions and identifying key themes and concepts that will be incorporated into the final plan we present to our steering committee and developed into a website for all community members to access,” Grubb said. “I will also be facilitating sub-committee meetings to further discuss the main concepts individuals have identified as an asset to boost community and economic development.”

A native of Indianola, Iowa, Grubb was introduced to McClure Placemaking through a Clinton School Speaker Series event in October 2018. Alex Holland, a Lead Community Placemaker with McClure Placemaking, spoke on her work with McClure and previous efforts with the Delta Creative Placemaking Initiative.

“It has been enlightening to learn more about how city offices, city councils, and the chamber of commerce work and impact the lives of the citizens of Cabot,” Grubb said. “It has inspired me to become more informed of these leaders in my own community back in Iowa and to conceptualize the importance of being civically engaged and politically active.”

During the upcoming 2019-20 academic year, Grubb will study in Brazil as part of her Boren Fellowship. She will study Portuguese at Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais in São Paulo.