Subversive Joy: Trojan Horse Tactics for Public Space Imagination

Vibrant Spaces is back for Season 2! In this podcast we connect with the people and places doing big things to bring their cities and towns to life. Tune in weekly for new episodes and new insights!

In this episode we focus on West Palm Beach, Florida with our guest Sherryl Muriente, is working to bring life back into the heart of the City after the COVID-19 pandemic through whimsical and “play-focused” art installations. 

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As the Public Realm Director for the West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority, Sherryl walks us through their largest cultural initiative - The Trojan Horse Project. We discuss the importance of including the elderly and children (both groups often over-looked) in decision making and what new tools can be used to bring cultural changes that impact everyone within a community.

In this episode we cover:

• How to leverage the education system as a creative resource for placemaking and the importance of early engagement for a long-lasting community
• Why imagination, whimsy and play are important tools for positive community engagement
• The perseverance that is needed to overcome challenges and difficulties when working to create lasting cultural changes and a few strategies to overcome these difficulties. 
• How municipalities can benefit from the use of AI in placemaking initiatives
• The importance of diversification within internal programming for inclusive and efficient  data collection for effective decision making

CONNECT WITH OUR HOSTS: Emily Craven |  Tim Souza 

ABOUT OUR GUEST

SHERRYL MURIENTE - PPublic Realm Director, West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority - Sherryl Muriente is a visionary leader in urban design and placemaking, with a focus on understanding human behavior through action research to transform public spaces. As the first Public Realm Director for the West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority, she creatively guides the downtown area with a blend of community engagement and urban planning expertise. Muriente’s projects span from revitalizing alleyways to orchestrating large-scale public art, driven by principles of urban acupuncture and local knowledge. Her approach involves deep immersion in local culture and close collaboration with communities, fostering stronger social ties and encouraging stewardship of shared spaces. With degrees in Architecture and Urban Planning, she combines academic insight with hands-on experience. Additionally, as the co-founder and creative director of LeJobart, an art collective active in the U.S. and France, her global work in placemaking is shaping vibrant, resilient communities and redefining the future of urban environments.

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