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.

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Bicycle Diaries


Bicycle Diaries
follows David Byrne through cities around the world from the seat of his folding bicycle. Part travelogue, part urban observation, the book uses cycling as a way to experience cities at human speed—exploring architecture, culture, politics, public space, and the peculiar ways places reveal themselves when you move through them under your own power.

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United States - Japan Foundation

The United States-Japan Foundation (USJF) is an independent philanthropic organization working to strengthen bilateral ties and address shared challenges. We empower next-generation leaders and fund innovative initiatives, catalyzing collaboration and exchange among stakeholders in search of solutions.

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London Loo Tours

London Loo Tours turns the humble toilet into a lens for exploring urban history. The walking-tour company leads visitors through London’s public conveniences, sanitation infrastructure, social customs, and wonderfully peculiar restroom stories—revealing how something every city needs can tell surprisingly rich stories about the city around it.

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Portland Maine Public Restroom Master Plan

Portland Downtown’s Public Restroom Master Plan makes the case that toilets are essential urban infrastructure. Connecting restroom access to walkability, public health, tourism, aging, accessibility, dignity, and inclusion, it lays out a strategy for creating and maintaining a more welcoming downtown.

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