Placemaking is not a new idea; yet the topic is discussed almost exclusively in connection to public space. What happens when we take the collaborative process of shaping a place for shared value behind the lines of an institution? In 2018, Philbrook Museum of Art hosted artist-in-residence Karl Unnasch to work with staff and the community to build a stained-glass log cabin in the Gardens, using inspiration and materials collected from the city of Tulsa. The cabin, envisioned as both an artwork and functional facility, immediately transformed a liminal area of the Gardens into a place of activity to which guests, members, donors, and the community felt specific connection.

Speakers will address considerations for Request for Proposals, artist selection and working with artists, fundraising, programming to reinforce placemaking for visitors and donors alike, and leveraging local collaboration for national attention.