The NEA Launches The Governors' Institute on Community Design

Since plans made at the state level can have profound effects on how communities are designed, and how people go about their daily lives, the NEA recently announced the Governors' Institute on Community Design (GICD) - a new initiative to support governors' leadership in good community design. Created in partnership with the EPA, the Institute will convene up to four workshops annually, pairing governors and their cabinets with top planning experts. These teams will identify strategies for welldesigned planning tailored to the specific needs and goals of each state.

Left to right: Representative Kay Granger (R-TX), Former Governors Christine Todd Whitman of New Jersey and Parris N. Glendening of Maryland, NEA Chairman Dana Gioia, and NEA Design Director Jeff Speck.

The Governors' Institute builds on the success of the NEA Mayors' Institute on City Design (MICD), which since 1986, has gathered mayors and designers to generate ideas on better city planning. Former Governors Christine Todd Whitman of New Jersey and Parris N. Glendening of Maryland will spearhead the new Institute. "Through the Governors' Institute we hope to inspire a new level of innovation that will make our communities economically stronger, healthier, and more attractive places to live and work," said Whitman.

More than a dozen state governments have expressed interest in the program; the first workshop will be announced soon. For information, visit www.govinstitute.

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