Over the course of a year, CSC collaborated with Maria Rosario Jackson, Senior Advisor to the Arts & Culture Program, to conduct a national investigation into leadership development programs focused on comprehensive community planning and development.

The study examined existing initiatives that prepare leaders to operate across sectors and integrate arts and cultural strategies into equitable community development efforts.

Particular attention was given to programs that build the capacity of individuals and organizations to:

• Form cross-sector partnerships
• Align cultural strategy with housing, economic development, and public policy
• Advance more inclusive and community-centered planning practices
• Strengthen adaptive leadership in complex civic environments

The research explored how leadership development influences not only individual skill-building, but also relational infrastructure and structural change within communities.

By synthesizing insights from across the field, the study contributed to a deeper understanding of how creative placemaking can move beyond isolated projects toward durable, cross-sector transformation.

This engagement reflects CSC’s broader commitment to cultivating leaders capable of aligning culture, collaboration, and structural investment in service of equitable and regenerative community futures.