On May 30, 2025, the Institute brought together community members and leaders for the Civic Spaces Convening. This important dialogue explored how our public spaces can be powerful tools for fostering connection and encouraging community involvement.
This event was built on a foundation of listening. Between May 2024 and January 2025, our staff traveled across the state, co-hosting 28 listening sessions in 22 communities as part of our Civic Arkansas program. The feedback gathered from Arkansas students and community members directly shaped the convening and our ongoing work. The two reports featured in this blog also relate to what we heard during community sessions.
The Opportunity for Connection
We were excited to have Melissa Carter from the Walmart Foundation share key findings from the More in Common report, The Connection Opportunity: Insights for Bringing Americans Together Across Differences. The report sheds light on a shared desire for unity and the barriers that stand in the way.
From Dialogue to Action
These insights are echoed in the Action Over Dialogue report from Trust for Civic Life, which finds that people are ready to move beyond conversation and take action. This reinforces what we heard from communities across Arkansas: civic engagement, whether formal or informal, strengthens our social fabric.
Civic action strengthens people’s feelings of social trust, agency, and belonging.
Trust for Civic Life, Action Over Dialogue Report
Key Takeaways from the Convening
The energy in the room was palpable. Many leaders who arrived feeling that their “tank was empty” felt reignited and inspired. The session helped shift the perspective that community members don’t want to be engaged; rather, they are eager for genuine opportunities to connect. Participants committed to one concrete action they would take in their community over the next six months.
The next time you plan an event, don’t just think logistics. Think purpose. Are you creating a moment for people to truly connect? To feel seen, valued, and rooted in something bigger than themselves? Because that’s where community begins — not in programs or plans, but in people choosing to show up for each other.
A Challenge to Community Leaders
Michelle Gates-Roberts
Participant, Civic Spaces Convening“Today was fabulous — engaging, easy, and comfortable to take part in. I love our county library; it’s the civic space where I’m most involved, along with a few others in my Hot Springs community. I care about bringing people together, strengthening our community’s fabric, and making these spaces welcoming to everyone. That’s why I’m here: to learn how to support our civic spaces and help more people engage with them.”
What’s Next?
The Civic Spaces Convening is a catalyst for continued action. Our next steps are focused on building on this momentum:
- Conduct a follow-up survey to check on the progress of the action steps committed during the convening.
- Organize regional convenings in communities interested in continuing the dialogue.
- Assess current civic spaces in Arkansas, which will lead to a new resource guide.
- Offer the Civic Arkansan Credential to help community leaders identify shared values and goals to foster collaboration.
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