Shakespeare once said, “The play’s the thing.” We here at Downtown South Bend, Inc. (DTSB) wholeheartedly agree. Downtown is the "front yard" for the whole city and DTSB, Inc. starts with the premise that the heart of our city is for everyone. We recognize that it’s easy to become siloed by where we work, live, study, or recreate. So, in an effort to connect people to the unparalleled economic and cultural opportunities that downtown affords our community, we create experiences that are grounded in enjoying life’s simple pleasures together. Over the past two years we’ve produced 150 events with 150,000 total attendees. From large-scale art festivals, to First Fridays, to Wine Walks, to ribbon-cuttings, to parades, to summer movie nights and much more, we design our events as a form of structured play; and we know that when people play they open up to new possibilities. So what better way to bring people of different backgrounds together and create new associations to one another and to our city than through experiences that help us start seeing each other not as a demographic category but as neighbors. But as much as we like to have a good time, our work isn’t all just fun and games. Engaging in structured play is also good business. As we create an atmosphere where everyone is welcome and diverse people from every part of the city are in the habit of coming downtown, diverse businesses and development have followed. Since 2022, DTSB, Inc. has welcomed 31 new businesses (54% women or minority-owned), provided opportunities for 400% more local businesses through First Fridays markets, and supported the redevelopment of 15 long-vacant buildings by local, small-scale developers. The common ground we create through play becomes the fertile soil that fosters diverse new businesses, engaged neighbors, and economic inclusion.
By the end of this session, attendees will:
- Gain insight into the many ways a vibrant downtown enhances quality of life across the city, gain awareness of the strategies designed to foster economic inclusion, and be able to take a page out of DTSB, Inc.'s playbook to use the spirit of play to foster a connected community.
