The City of Chester is one of the most economically distressed municipalities in the region. In recent years, key arts, business, city government and non-profit organizations have been collaborating to revitalize and heal the city. That work coalesced as “Chester Made,” a participatory urban planning process. Widener proposes the Boundaries and Bridges project, which will utilize civic arts methodologies to build on the momentum generated by Chester Made to identify and bridge community-university boundaries to strengthen and support collaboration in Chester. This approach to civic engagement can serve as a new model for other schools looking to positively engage with their partner communities.
