The Sidewalk Ballet Field Guide
The Sidewalk Ballet Field Guide is a growing collection of the people, organizations, projects, books and ideas shaping the way we think about cities. It begins with the conversations on the podcast, but extends beyond them—connecting the people doing the work, the places where it’s happening, and the ideas worth carrying forward. Think of it as part reference library, part trail of breadcrumbs: a way to follow the ongoing conversation about cities wherever it leads.
Explore the Field Guide by type, browse alphabetically or by date, or search for something specific. Use the tags to follow connections between people, places, projects, ideas and conversations.
Sheila Foster
Sheila Foster is a leading scholar of cities, democracy, and the urban commons. Her work explores how communities share responsibility for the public spaces, institutions, and resources that shape everyday life—and how collective stewardship can make cities more equitable, democratic, and inclusive.
Marian Anderson
Marian Anderson’s 1939 concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial drew an integrated crowd of 75,000 after she was denied Constitution Hall because of her race. The performance became a defining example of public space expanding who could gather, belong, and be seen as part of “We the People.”