New York City is experiencing a new kind of democracy. Through Participatory Budgeting (PB), residents are directly deciding how to spend public money. In 2014-15 more than twenty city council districts community members will exchange ideas, work together to turn ideas into project proposals, and vote to decide what proposals get funded. Arts & culture has been integrated throughout the process. Check out the process on the PBNYC website.

The Center for Urban Pedagogy has designed the PBNYC logo and ballots. Meerkat Media has created the PB documentary video. Arts & Democracy has organized visual arts workshops to help delegates prepare for the Expos where they present their projects to their communities. Additionally we have organized citywide printmaking and social media workshops and worked with Carlos Pareja to produce short videos to amplify the voices of the delegates.



Arts, culture, and grassroots video have supported the PBNYC process by:

• Increasing the visibility of the process
• Stimulating imagination
• Building community
• Bringing delegates together from across the city
• Providing new forms of engagement through visual art, theater, and media
• Incorporating youth
• Providing opportunities for capacity building
• Linking artists, designers, and cultural organizations with their communities
• Making the process fun