In a city where public space is increasingly surveilled and privatized, how can we dream, build, and gather on our own terms? This hands-on workshop empowers everyday New Yorkers to design and execute community-led projects—from pop-ups to public art—while navigating and resisting the bureaucratic barriers that often stand in the way.

We’ll begin with practical tools for turning bold ideas into grounded, collaborative plans. Then we’ll learn how to work in solidarity, build a values-aligned budget, and navigate logistics like labor, materials, transport, and city permits—with clarity, not fear.

Participants will leave with a draft project plan, new collaborators, and strategies to activate space safely, creatively, and collectively. Come build something radical, rooted, and real.