Voicing Boulder began with a simple question: What if civic engagement felt less like paperwork and more like paying attention?

Conducted in partnership with the City of Boulder Office of Arts & Culture and the Department of Planning as part of the Experiments in Art initiative, this year-long project invited Boulder residents to share photographs, audio recordings, and reflections on their lived experience of the city - housing, mobility, climate, belonging, care, and everyday life. Using participatory methods, Voicing Boulder created a collective portrait of the city while contributing residents' stories, experiences, and perspectives to the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP) update.

The project culminated in a public installation at the Boulder Public Library District's Canyon Gallery, where photographs, audio recordings, interviews, and excerpts from the map were presented as an exhibition exploring the role of creative expression in civic life. Some of that work, as well as imagery of the installation are below.

The original online map/archive remains live and can be engaged with here.

&, for those wanting to dive deeper into the impacts, you may the final project report here, as well explore the updated Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan here

My sincere thanks to the Office of Arts & Culture and the Boulder Planning Department - especially Rachel, Lauren, and Vivian - for making this experiment possible, and to everyone who shared their stories, perspectives, and trust. This project exists because of your voices.