Who Should Attend:

  • business leaders whose success depends on a growing, vibrant metroplex with a diverse and talented workforce
  • Public officials and employees who chart the course of our communities
  • higher education representatives
  • economic development entities (regional, county, city)
  • leaders in the arts & humanities fields in the metroplex

Sponsors

Arts Council of Johnson County Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art

Arts & Economic Development Symposium
A National Museum & Policy Institute of Suburbia:
History for Tomorrow's Policies

4:00-6:00 p.m.; reception following
Hudson Auditorium
Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art
Johnson County Community College
12345 College Blvd. in Overland Park, KS

The dream of owning a home in one of America's suburbs is as strong today as it was 50 year ago. But today's suburban communities are much more diverse than the homogenous ones of the 1950s, and are dealing with many issues traditionally viewed as "urban" challenges. Why study and document suburbia? Why locate a national museum & policy institute of suburbia in Johnson County? What should a national museum on suburbia collect?

The symposium on March 4, 2008, provided insight into these questions and an active discussion with the attendees. Moderated by William H. Hudnut III, Senior Fellow, Urban Land Institute, and former mayor of Indianapolis 1976-1991, and including panelists include Dr. Robert E. Lang, Director, Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech & Professor in Urban Affairs & Planning; Robert Puentes, Fellow, Metropolitan Policy, Brookings Institution; and Myriam Springuel, President, Springuel Consulting.

For transcriptions of the event, please e-mail or call 913-715-2550.