Jane Jacobs at 100

FAQs

About Jane Jacobs

Who was Jane Jacobs?
Jane Jacobs was an urban activist, thinker, and author, who lived in both New York City and Toronto. While she had no formal training in architecture or planning, Jacobs was very engaged in civic life in New York City. She opposed efforts like “slum clearance” planning practices of the 1950s and 1960s. Her most notable (and successful) campaign was in opposition to the Lower Manhattan Expressway project proposed by City and State official Robert Moses and the “Moses Men.” She was the author of a number of books, but her best known work was “The Death and Life of American Cities” published in 1961.

Among the many principles she espoused were:

  • Density and walkability mean livability
  • Having “eyes on the street” is the key to safe communities.
  • Vibrant neighborhoods need old buildings and mixed-uses (residential, retail and public spaces)

When is Jane Jacobs’ actual birthday?
May 4, 2016  wasthe 100th anniversary of Jane’s birth. There were a large number of events and programs that took place on May 4th, but the big kick-off event was Jane’s Walk weekend on May 6-8, 2016 when 250 walks were offered across New York City and hundreds more in cities around the world. For more information, visit janeswalk.org

 

About the #JJ100 Celebration

When does the celebration take place?
Events were held between May and November, 2016. We kicked off our celebration with Jane’s Walk Weekend in New York City, May 6, 7 and 8 with 250 free walks in New York City.

Are all events free?
Most walks, events, and programs are free but some partners do charge a modest fee for a ticket or admission, which is stipulated in the event description. If you have any questions, email us at janejacobs100@mas.org or call 212-935-3960.

What type of events are you looking for? Are there any limits on the types of events?
The formats of submitted events have fallen in the following categories:

  • Talk / Symposium
  • Exhibition/Installation
  • Walk/Tour
  • Workshop
  • Festival/Street Activity
  • Performance
  • Pop-up
  • Outside the Box (neighborhood rally, parade, etc.)

Let your imagination run free. Submit the event that best meets your needs or fills a niche not yet served.

Generally, we want to help promote and market as broad a series of events and programs that bring out a range of ideas, topics and concepts as possible and do not attempt to impose any editorial guidelines or limitations. If you get some input or brainstorm an idea, we’re pleased to assist via email at janejacobs100@mas.org or on the phone at 212-935-3960.

Is there funding available to organize an event?
Sadly, the Municipal Art Society does not have funds to help organize events or programs. We are pleased to help brainstorm your proposed plans and suggest ideas on how to implement them. In addition, we do have some organizations that have offered spaces for events, depending on availability and we can work with you to set-up introductions.

Can I submit an idea for an event?
Yes, anyone can contribute to the celebration and all creative, out-of-the-box ideas are welcomed! We simply ask that your participation:

  • Reflect upon Jane Jacobs’ impact and guiding principles
  • Embody the spirit of self-organized community engagement for the betterment of the city
  • Promote an urban future that is inclusive and people-driven

Why isn’t my event or program listed?
If you have submitted an event and it’s not appearing on the page, please give us one business day to review and approve it. We won’t screen your submission based on editorial criteria – all ideas are welcomed – but we do want to ensure that all information is correctly listed, especially links, address/location of your event (so we can create a map), and any other specific details. We’ll will send you a note when we’ve published your event.

If you’d like to add your event or program to the listings, please submit your event on our site. If you have any questions or concerns, email us at janejacobs100@mas.org or call 212-935-3960.

What if I have an idea for an event that doesn’t quite fit the Jane Jacobs focus? Can I still submit it?
If you have an idea for an event or program and aren’t quite sure if it fits our focus, please contact us at janejacobs100@mas.org and we can help you brainstorm on how we can make it work. Remember, our focus is to honor Jane and her work in encouraging self-organized civic engagement and activism, so we think we’ve cast the net widely, but some proposals may not work.

What does your website include?
JJ100.org includes listings of events and programs, including capabilities to find events by date range, theme and format (type of event). In addition, we have an (editorial) blog, information about the celebration, including our advisory committee, information and a nomination form for the Jane Jacobs medal. The Jane’s Walk website contains all information about walks that were scheduled during Jane’s Walk Weekend (May 6, 7 and 8).

Is the blog open for submissions?
The blog is open for submissions from our partners who are putting together events and programs. If you wish to submit a post, we strongly recommend a more visual approach, combining images and video with your text. Please send your submissions to us at janejacobs100@mas.org. We will follow-up as soon as we can.

About The Municipal Art Society (MAS)

What is The Municipal Art Society? (MAS)
Founded in 1893, The Municipal Art Society (MAS) is five years older than the consolidated City of New York itself. Over more than 120 years of history, MAS has worked to inspire, educate, and empower New Yorkers to engage in the betterment of our city. Through three core campaign areas, MAS protects New York’s legacy spaces, encourages intentional planning and urban development, and fosters complete neighborhoods across the five boroughs.

For more information or to join as a member, visit MAS.org or call 212.935.3960.

Are these events and programs all planned by MAS?
MAS is serving as organizer and clearinghouse of a 6-month long celebration – May to October – championing Jane Jacobs’ enduring legacy and impact on cities around the world. That said, the vast majority of programs and events are organized by a broad and diverse group of organizations and volunteers in New York City and beyond. We kicked off our celebration with Jane’s Walk Weekend in New York City, May 6, 7 and 8 with 250 free walks.

JJ100