#public-engagement

#public-engagement

On Sunday, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani invited members of the public to meet with him, one on one, for three minutes at a time, in a sparely appointed room at the Museum of the Moving Image, in Astoria. His transition team titled the twelve-hour event "The Mayor Is Listening," in homage to "The Artist Is Present," the iconic work of performance art by Marina Abramović.

What should Oshawa's arts and culture sector look like 10 years from now? That's a question city staff are asking the public as they prepare to create a new culture plan a roadmap intended to guide Oshawa's next decade of action to support cultural initiatives. This will be the city's second culture plan, replacing one that's been in place since 2014, says Catherine Richards, the city's senior manager of special events and culture.

An advisory group established by Mayor Barbara Lee this summer is working on recommendations for a potential ballot measure that would reform the city charter, changing the roles of the mayor, city manager, and councilmembers in an attempt to better clarify who's responsible for what. Lee's working group is holding a number of community meetings throughout Oakland this fall to share what's being considered and get input from the public.

The Methuen Police Department is asking the public to help name its newest "pawciffer." The department is set to welcome a male English Cream Golden Retriever as part of its community-oriented policing initiative alongside Officer Kayleigh Forgetta. The newest member of the police force still needs a name. To weigh in, the public can comment name suggestions on social media or fill out a form through Thursday.

This morning, Lee's office sent a heads-up to reporters about Tuesday's 3:30 p.m. speech at City Hall. Atop the press release was an image of the seat of Oakland's government - one clearly generated by artificial intelligence. Immediately, journalists in our newsroom, who've collectively spent hundreds of hours at meetings and interviews in City Hall, noticed some key elements missing and fabricated in the image of the Beaux-Arts building.

Campaigners need to change the way they talk about child poverty to counter far-right narratives and harness public energy for action, charities have warned. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Save the Children will on Wednesday launch a practical guide for campaigners, saying that although the third sector, politicians and the media talk frequently about the urgency of tackling child poverty, bolstered with alarming facts, the way we talk about it doesn't always help.

"I think in all likelihood [robots] will become a bigger part of people's lives. So I think it's really, really useful for people to have a chance to see them, learn more about them, ask questions about them."

In the past, sports and cultural facilities in China were often designed with iconic, exaggerated forms. However, recent trends have shifted towards focusing on the experience of the site and its connection to the surrounding urban environment. The Shekou Cultural and Sports Park proposal responds to this human-centered era, emphasizing public engagement, accessibility, and a blend of indoor and outdoor spaces, while maintaining a strong sense of place.

Netty, a large, spider-like installation, serves as a playful urban tool for communication, reflecting themes of connection and dialogue central to community interaction.

The transition from academic to public scholar involved significant challenges, including the need to unlearn academic habits and adapt writing style for broader audiences.

The SkeptiCal Conference brings stimulating and entertaining speakers to a world-wide audience of science fans, critical thinkers, and questioners of extraordinary claims.

More than 5,000 people from across the UK arrived in Westminster to meet their MPs and demand urgent climate action to protect their communities. This mass lobby is one of the largest to date, with constituents including parents, doctors, and youth campaigners lobbying at least 500 MPs, about 80% of the total.

"You put on a sort of brave face, stoicism through treatment, treatment's done - then it's like 'I can crack on, get back to normal'. But actually the phase afterwards is really difficult..."

The recent guidance issued by No 10 restricting civil servants from speaking at media-present events is seen as detrimental to public engagement and discourse.

"This is an attempt to rewrite history, whitewash history. Eliminate the stories of critical contributors to history," said Dennis Arguelles with the National Parks Conservation Association.

The announcement of potential changes to immigration policy has ignited significant concern among the immigrant community in the UK, prompting a swift response through petitions.

The new V&A East Storehouse in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park provides a purpose-built home for over 250,000 objects, showcasing 5,000 years of human creativity.

In this context, architecture becomes a means of orientation, framing memory and revealing histories in how we engage with artwork and civic life.

Musée d'Orsay's live restoration of Gustave Courbet's 'A Burial at Ornans' lets art lovers witness the meticulous process, aiming to restore its original vibrance by 2026.

My friends, we are being governed by morons. The more difficult the struggle, the more glorious the victory.

Alan Selwyn, planning lead at the Belsize Society, expressed delight that the pub's significance has been recognized, aiming to collaborate with owners for community benefits.