Participatory Budgeting and Placemaking: Concepts, Methods, and Practices

Abstract

Participatory budgeting has arisen as an interesting form of citizen participation in urban development and, thus, as a new way of exercising placemaking and grassroots democracy. In this article, we provide an analysis of projects in Lisbon (Portugal), Valencia (Spain), and Warsaw (Poland) with a focus on three key projects concerned with improving the public realm and their contribution to enhancing the network of public open spaces. Our guiding question is: What are the potential benefits of participatory budgeting to increase green spaces and urban governance? A comparison of the three cities’ participatory budgeting programmes provides an overview of their social and political goals and the contents that provide opportunities for citizens’ participation in decision-making. The cases of Jardim do Caracol da Penha (Lisbon), the Green Street Świętokrzyska (Warsaw), and the Green Plan for the Poblats Marítims District (Valencia) pave the way for a discussion on engagement, empowerment, and connectivity with the local communities through public spaces. Using participatory budgeting as a planning and political instrument at the municipal level, as the three cases show, can be a useful way to enhance and enrich the communities’ engagement with their environments. One aspect that emerged is the communication strategies implemented in the three cases. The analysis shows that the use of media and social networks to disseminate information and gather supporters for their ideas and this growth in political influence seems to be essential for participatory budgeting. The study is backed by desk work (comprehensive understanding of the local programmes) and field work to better identify the changes in loco.

Green Budget as a Form of Social Activation to Improve the Urban Environment - Case Study of Katowice, Poland

“…The involvement and participation of citizens in making decisions about spending public funds intended for shaping urban spaces has been growing significantly in recent years and is one of the key forms of participation in the planning and development of many Polish cities. The Citizens' Budget (CB) has become a popular placemaking tool -a form of grass-roots participation that allows for a better response to local social needs and at the same time improves the potential and experience of citizens in negotiating their interests (Taylor, 2019;Smaniotto Costa et al, 2024). In recent years, more and more cities around the world have set ambitious climate and environmental goals for their activities, and the Citizens' Budget is playing an increasingly important role in the sustainable management of urban space (Sinervo et al 2024).…”