Hudson Hall’s 2020 Hudson Shared Streets Workforce Development Program “Whose Streets?” is a six-week educational workshop that teaches 7-14 students about Tactical Urbanism and Shared Streets concepts. The program is taught by urban designer and planner Kaja Kühl, director of the Hudson Valley Initiative at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation and founder of You Are The City, with field supervisor Elena Mosely, executive director of Operation Unite NY.

A major component of this course consists of fieldwork that allows the students to assist in the operation and maintenance of Hudson Shared Streets. Acting as “Ambassadors” for the program, students are stationed at critical intersections along Warren and Front Streets to assist Shared Streets partners in counting traffic patterns, handing out maps, and informing visitors about the program. In addition, as “Eyes on the Street,” students are helping Shared Streets monitor the status and effectiveness of signage, seating, restrooms and physical infrastructure/traffic barriers.

The curriculum consists of a series of seminar-style discussions on the principles of street design, public space and emergent concepts from Designing Streets for People and Safe Routes to School. The role of the street as public spaces will play a central role in these discussions. The curriculum also incorporates an active design component, with students being asked to identify a site in Hudson and design small, site-specific physically-distanced events, performances or discussions. The program will culminate in a final presentation of student designs and an assessment of the effectiveness and challenges of the Shared Streets program.

The Hudson Shared Streets program is a collaboration between the City of Hudson, Hudson Hall, and FUTURE HUDSON, with financial support from Columbia Economic Development Corporation, Hudson’s Tourism Board, The Spark of Hudson, and Mark and Deborah D’Arcy, with technical support by Design for Six Feet. 

To learn more or find out how you can help to support this vital program, please contact our Director of Individual Giving, Caroline Lee, caroline@hudsonhall.org

Hudson Hall’s 2018 and 2019 Workforce Development programs provided underserved and at-risk youth with the skills and knowledge needed to work in Hudson’s cultural, hospitality and retail sectors and to meet the expanding needs of local businesses and organizations. During the five-week basic training program, students learned a range of skills including communication, personal presentation, customer service, and conflict resolution. Each participant was also fully trained and certified in the Red Cross Basic First Aid and CPR, in addition to training in each department at Hudson Hall (including Production, Box Office, Front of House, Development and Marketing). The students were also provided assistance with financial literacy, resume writing, and completed interview training through mock interviews with local professionals. Graduates were placed in 9-week paid internships with local businesses.

We’re also very proud to announce that a handful of our WFD graduates have continued to find meaningful employment at establishments in our community as well.

Seed funding for the pilot program was provided by the New York State Council on the Arts, with additional funding from Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Community Bank N.A and Susan Danzinger and Albert Wenger/Eutopia Foundation. Thanks to the support of wonderful businesses like Swoon Kitchenbar, WM. Farmers and Sons, Le Perche Hudson, Bank of Greene County, Moto, Fluff, Bindlestiff Family Cirkus,  DISH, Sideshow Clothing, Carrie Haddad Gallery, and Columbia-Greene Community College’s Summer Youth Employment and Training Program.