The power of arts and green

With a concentration of problems like lack of social cohesion, littering and damage to property in its 3 000-person multicultural district of Kaiser-Friedrich-Street (KEF),  the city of Pforzheim (DE) followed an integrated and participative approach to revitalise the district. In order to make the living environment more pleasant and to improve cohesion, the idea of an artistic project and greener spaces emerged from the population. At the initiative of  inhabitants, a sculpture mile with 100 new trees was created with the help of a local artist.  The sculptures with the trees improved the quality of time spent in the public spaces. Meeting points arose and contributed to intergenerational and intercultural exchanges. The new urban green space provides a significant contribution to the fight against climate change and the inhabitants have taken responsibility for their environment as tree sponsors. Likewise, the district has gained a new image through art.  The project is consciously designed on a long-term basis in which the existing works of art are replaced by new ones every three years.