Branding is tough. Branding universities is tougher. And branding cities may be the toughest assignment of all.

Heather Grantham is a senior at Cornell University who felt like her school's reputation was slipping. So she gathered a group of her fellow students to do something about it. The result… more

Austin, Texas, is one of America's fastest-growing cities. Managing that growth is the job of Will Wynn, the city's mayor. Now in his third year, Mayor Wynn brings his experience as a developer of historic properties and his degree in environmental design to the task of balancing the city's quality… more

Ben Barnes knows politics from the inside. He was elected to the Texas legislature at age 22, became Speaker of the Texas House at 26 and lieutenant governor at 30. In his new book, Barn Burning, Barn Building, Ben provides a window on what really happens in the halls… more

How to make a city vibrant and then communicate that vibrancy in a compelling way is the constant job of urban leaders. David Plettner advises city, foundation, and arts leaders on how to use the arts to create a vibrant city. He is principal with the Cultural+Planning Group based… more

In this speech sponsored by the City of Seattle and delivered to a public audience and televised on the city's cable channel, Carol Coletta talks about the power of the creative city. Read the full text of her remarks here. You may view video from her speech by clicking… more