The city of Aurora has been awarded a $75,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to support “Play On!,” a creative placemaking and public space design project aimed at revitalizing Fletcher Plaza on East Colfax, in the heart of the Aurora Cultural Arts District.
“Grants from the National Endowment for the Arts are highly competitive, so we are grateful to receive this national support,” said Ginger White Brunetti, director of Library and Cultural Services. “’Play On!’ will help us work closely with community members and leaders to reimagine and rebuild Fletcher Plaza as a safe, vibrant, community-centered public space, through a unique process that fosters relationships.”
“Play On!” will be a collaboration between the city of Aurora’s Library and Cultural Services Department, the Creative Alliance of Downtown Aurora (CADA), Manos Sagrados, Downtown Aurora Visual Arts (DAVA), the city’s Park, Recreation and Open Space Department, and the Better Block Foundation, a nonprofit specializing in rapid, community-centric public space transformations. Better Block will guide the design process and lead the activation of Fletcher Plaza, including community workshops, volunteer build sessions and a culminating public event. The tentative date for the event is June 2027.
"We’re thrilled to partner with the city of Aurora and local organizations to help bring the community’s vision for Fletcher Plaza to life,” said Krista Nightengale, executive director of the Better Block Foundation. “Our mission is rooted in showing communities what’s possible when residents lead the way. Aurora’s energy, creativity and commitment to collaboration make this an inspiring opportunity, and we look forward to supporting a plaza activation that reflects the neighborhood’s identity and hopes for the future.”
The project, expected to begin in the spring of 2027, will engage East Colfax residents, approximately 36,000 people, through community surveys, hands-on design activities, youth engagement and artist-driven programming. Its goal is to give a temporary transformation to Fletcher Plaza, intended to prototype design features that support a welcoming, safe and creatively energized gathering place for children, families and local artists. The city will match the grant for a total $150,000 project budget.
Named after Aurora’s founder, Fletcher Plaza is located on East Colfax Avenue next to the recently renovated Martin Luther King Jr. Library and the Aurora Fox Arts Center; a block from Vintage Theater to the east and two blocks from DAVA to the west. Across the street is The People’s Building and The Storyteller Theater.
About the city of Aurora Library and Cultural Services Department
The Library and Cultural Services Department delivers arts, culture, literacy and arts instruction through meaningful experiences and welcoming places across the city, including Art in Public Places, Arts Education, the Aurora Fox Arts Center, the Aurora History Museum, Aurora Public Library, Historic Sites and The People’s Building. In 2025, the department connected with residents and visitors through more than five million points of engagement, from library visits and arts classes to cultural events, performances, exhibitions and public art. Learn more at AuroraGov.org/LCS.
About the National Endowment for the Arts
Established by Congress, the National Endowment for the Arts is an independent federal agency that is the largest funder of the arts and arts education in communities nationwide and a catalyst of public and private support for the arts. By advancing opportunities for arts participation and practice, the NEA fosters and sustains an environment in which the arts benefit everyone in the United States. To learn more, visit Arts.gov.
About the Better Block Foundation
The Better Block Foundation is a nonprofit that helps communities reshape and reactivate public spaces to create healthier, more vibrant neighborhoods. The organization provides open‑source tools for rapid prototyping, offers training with urban planning experts and leads community engagement through charrettes and workshops. Better Block also conducts study tours focused on sustainable initiatives and advances modeling tools using innovative technologies and scientific approaches. Learn more at BetterBlock.org.