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Creative cities design institute: imagine new brunswick

ART

Using the forms of mural, movement, and music, students have created artwork that reflect their research and reflections on Urban Planning and the George Street Corridor. Mural Artist, Leon Rainbow, created a synthesized mural design. Musician, Dave Seamon, and Theater Artists, Dustin Ballard and Rafaelle Lozada, worked with students The students created a final report in the form of a gallery experience including movable context walls, painted tiles, and an interactive soundscape. In additional Juan Ayala and the staff and “Makers” from FUBAR LABS guided students through a 3D printing project bringing the students design interventions into a scale model of the George Street Corridor.

ADVOCACY

“I Dream of a City Where…” is the advocacy theme students developed through their consideration of Urban Planning and Design. Faculty and graduate students from the prestigious Rutgers Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy including Barbara Faga, Juan Ayala, Maia Hill, Collin Rieger, and Colin Roche, worked with students to develop their understanding of the field. They challenged students to harness urban planning as a process to make a place “better.” Students considered what it means to “Dream,” meeting challenges of inclusion with empathy and understanding.

COMMUNITY

New Brunswick and the surrounding region is a racially, culturally, and ethnically diverse community that has a storied past. Students considered whose experience of the city they want to improve. and what it means to “build a city for everyone.” They engaged in a conversation about racial and social justice and making a modern city that is more livable, equitable and just.

final sharing

Teaching Artists and Guests

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John Keller

My name is John Keller and I am the Director of Education for coLAB Arts.

My creative passions are theater of all kinds. I love sitting in a theater and having a communal experience with artists and audiences.

What inspires me most about summer institute students is how much we all surprise ourselves and each other. I learn so much as an artist from the work that our students create.

Dustin Ballard

My name is Dustin Ballard, but you can call me Dusty.

My creative passions are live storytelling, theatre, and being audience to artwork from paintings to ballet to opera to live music.

What I love about summer institute students is that they always take the chance to put all of themselves into their artwork. CoLab Summer Institute provides so many opportunities for learning artistic skills and expressing something you think or feel into artwork and the students of Summer Institute are bold with their creativity and their imaginations. And it creates a culture of brave artistry.

Dave Seamon

What I like most about teaching is the opportunity to learn.

I believe in recursive strategies; that through rehearsal and revision, we deepen our connection to the material and better define our goals.

What I love about summer institute students their capacities for growth and change, and by the way they place trust in us and each other.

Luz Ulloa

Luz is humbled and elated to reconnect with their acting roots by the hand of John and Jose. Their performance is dedicated to both of them and femmes of color, in particular those raised in Latin America and Middle Eastern territories, including those near them. We are strong, we are graceful, we are deserving, we belong! Gracias Mariah.

Collin Rieger

My name is Collin Rieger

My creative passions are drawing, painting, and gardening. I love setting things in motion and seeing the great places they unexpectedly lead— that is what I look forward to most in my future career as an urban planner and/or landscape architect.

What I love about summer institute students is their open-mindedness and creativity. While we try to lead them to try new things and learn new concepts, they often surprise us with their own profound thoughts and statements. It’s a learning experience for us in charge as well.

Colin Roche

My name is Colin Roche. I’m a graduate student studying urban planning at Bloustein.

Some of my passions include city planning, travel and reading.

I came into this program prepared to meet students who were intelligent, socially engaged, and compassionate. But I was still surprised by how insightful and clever these children are. I’m hopeful this week has taught them to trust their instincts as agents of change in their communities.

Maia Hill

My name is Maia Hill

My creative passions are running and visiting art history museums.

What I love about summer institute students is that they are full of creativity, vision, and desire to learn and engage in new experiences. Through the coLab summer institute these students have gained insightful skills and knowledge on how to become more civically engaged within their communities.

institute photos

Institute Photos

Day 1: Introductory games, community agreements, and an opening lesson on Urban Planning.

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Day 2: The kids took an observational walk down George Street and ended the day with an Urban Planning lesson from a Bloustein professor in the Bloustein building!

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Day 3: A special field trip to Fubar Lads to learn about 3D printing and a poetry lesson back at coLAB

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Day 4: Assembly, creation, and coloring of the mural tiles

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Day 5: Final touches, the final sharing event at Tavern on George, and CAKE from Chef Garima Bansil!!

George Street Reimagined

Bloustein 2022

A model of the current George Street, before the student’s reimagining

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A model of the reimagined George Street, from the students plans and designs

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The students took a moment at the end of the week to reflect on everything they did, and compare it to the predictions they made at the beginning of the week.