The Sidewalk Ballet Field Guide
The Sidewalk Ballet Field Guide is a growing collection of people, organizations, projects, books, ideas and ongoing conversations about cities and the people who shape them. It grows out of the podcast, but extends well beyond it—connecting the people doing the work, the places where it’s happening, and the ideas, experiments and resources worth carrying forward. Think of it as part reference library, part trail of breadcrumbs: a way to follow the conversation wherever it leads.
Explore by type, browse alphabetically or by date, or search for something specific. Follow the tags to discover connections—or explore the map to see where the people, projects and ideas in the Field Guide take us.
Palaces for the People
In Palaces for the People, sociologist Eric Klinenberg explores the power of social infrastructure—the libraries, parks, markets, and gathering places that build relationships, strengthen communities, and support civic life. A compelling argument for investing in the places that bring people together.
Third Place Makers
Third Place Makers is a placemaking platform founded by Ivy Lupco that explores and advances the people, ideas, and strategies behind vibrant communities and meaningful places. Through its consulting practice and conversations with place-management professionals, it connects ideas with action across placemaking, community engagement, activation, partnerships, and public-realm strategy.
US Chamber of Connection
U.S. Chamber of Connection — A national nonprofit working to rebuild social connection, trust, and belonging in American communities. Through local Chambers of Connection, research, events, and its “Six Points of Connection” framework, the organization brings together residents, employers, and community builders to strengthen relationships across differences and make connection a more intentional part of civic and community life.
The Great Good Place
Ray Oldenburg’s The Great Good Place introduced the influential idea of the “third place”—informal gathering places outside home and work where people become regulars, relationships develop, and community life takes shape. Cafés, bars, barber shops, bookstores, and similar places become essential pieces of social infrastructure.
SF Black Wall Street
SF Black Wall Street works to strengthen Black economic power, entrepreneurship, and community in San Francisco by connecting and supporting Black-owned businesses. Through advocacy, events, business development, and community-building, the organization helps sustain a thriving Black business ecosystem while celebrating the culture, history, and contributions of San Francisco’s Black communities.