Name
Community as a BMP: Using art and storytelling to engage Minneapolis in stormwater stewardship
Date & Time
Thursday, August 27, 2026, 1:50 PM - 2:30 PM
Description
Minneapolis paired locally created artwork with interactive digital storytelling to make stormwater infrastructure more visible and accessible to residents. Many stormwater BMPs are integrated into neighborhoods as ponds, parks or gardens, but residents rarely understand their function or how they can personally contribute to water quality improvement. Traditional interpretive signage tends to be text-heavy and technical, limiting its reach.
The city created site-specific artwork for 26 stormwater ponds, linked through a companion website into a cohesive digital experience. Together, these tools invite residents to explore how each pond functions and how the BMP network protects the city's lakes, streams and the Mississippi River.
The presentation covers how technical stormwater content was translated into community-centered narrative design, how the digital platform supports multiple levels of engagement, and the metrics used to evaluate visibility, accessibility and long-term behavior change.
Location Name
M100 B-C
Full Address
Minneapolis Convention Center
1301 2nd Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55404
United States
1301 2nd Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55404
United States