Re-envisioning community spaces in Corona, Queens, New York City

Public gathering space is limited in dense urban areas such as Corona, a neighborhood exemplary of its Queens, New York City home for international diversity, rapidly changing demographics, and limited access to resources and opportunities. Art played a vital role in the development of Corona Plaza, a public site of art engagement established through an unusual collaboration between the Queens Museum and the Queens Economic Development Corporation and whose success also relied upon involvement of residents and community organizations. The Corona Plaza example demonstrates how art activates undervalued sites, terrain vagues, providing avenues for them to serve the needs of the local community. The development of the plaza also exemplifies how existing informal networks provide the foundation for art districts that incorporate resident voices, thereby engendering a sense of meaning and collective ownership of place within the community.