Public Matters implements large-scale, creative community engagement projects throughout Los Angeles, reaching groups that are historically difficult to engage. It has a demonstrated track record of forging long-term interdisciplinary collaborations that bring together large institutions, municipal agencies, local businesses, and schools with residents and grassroots organizations or informal neighborhood groups. Public Matters builds lasting networks–“engagement ecosystems”– among stakeholders that are designed to endure beyond a project’s lifespan.

Certifications

Los Angeles County

Community Business Enterprise (CBE) // Social Enterprise (SE) // Local Small Business Enterprise (LBE)

City of Los Angeles

Small Business Enterprise (Proprietary) (SBE) // Small Business Enterprise (Los Angeles) (SBE) // Emerging Business Enterprise (EBE) // Local Business Enterprise (LBE) // Small Local Business /Local Small Business (SLB/LSB) // Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) // Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)

State of California

Small Business (Micro)

Areas of Expertise

context-responsive design + conceptual design and management + qualitative data collection + social marketing + educational materials development and design + public art activations and installations + multimedia content creation and graphic design + community-focused storytelling + community and coalition building + stakeholder relations

CREATIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Designing and implementing effective ecosystems for meaningful engagement. Applying cultural sensitivity and creative design to develop accessible, visually compelling avenues for public participation in local matters.

People-Friendly Issue-Based Social Marketing + Communications
- Creative, Culturally-Relevant Messaging
- Dissemination Strategy
- Visual Identity Systems
- Multimedia Campaigns
Street Level Installations + Public Art
Public Events + Activations
Community-Focused Storytelling
Qualitative Data Collection
Interactive Workshops
Facilitation
Community + Coalition Building
Stakeholder Relations

EDUCATION

Developing, implementing, and instructing custom curriculum for the next generation.

Project-Based Curriculum Development + Instruction
Educational Materials Design

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Building human capital and adaptive capacity to advance greater equity.

Community Advisory Committees
Youth Internship Program Development
Civic Engagement Capacity-Building and Training for Foundations, Public Agencies + Universities
Issue-Based Leadership Development Programs

MEDIA PRODUCTION

Audio
Photo
Video
Short-form
Graphics

SOCIALLY ENGAGED ART

Public Matters uses the arts as a lever for social change, to:

connect people to their neighborhoods
foster a sense of belonging and social purpose
build the capacity of residents and local organizations to shape their neighborhoods

Public Matters’ work bridges the trust gap between institutions and marginalized communities by designing strategies that transform the culture, practice, and experience of civic participation, making it accessible to all. Public Matters’ collaborative approach to engagement is rooted in “context-responsive” design that nurtures residents’ stewardship of their neighborhood.