OUR SERVICES
Build community through
integrated cultural planning.
At Cultural Futures, we forge client relationships built on trust, integrity, and a shared commitment to success. Working collaboratively with municipal planning and community development departments or development companies, we create cultural, heritage and placemaking strategies that strengthen local identity and pride and build stronger and more inclusive, creatively connected communities.
Our culture and heritage planning and placemaking services ensure the strategic and integrated use of cultural, historical and economic resources in urban and community development. By embedding culture and heritage planning and transformative placemaking into current and future civic planning, municipalities can enhance community quality of life, foster an inclusive local identity, build social cohesion and create social capital, and stimulate economic growth in loal tourism and creative eonomies.
For Local
Government
OUR SERVICES
We equip local governments with strategic roadmaps that strengthen their capacity to use art, culture, heritage and place as catalysts for building stronger, more connected and inclusive communities.
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OUR HERITAGE SERVICES
Strategies for revitalizing
community heritage.
Planning that protects, honors, and revitalizes heritage places and preserves the stories and traditions that define communities and connect generations.
Our Heritage Planning Services help municipalities protect and celebrate their historical assets while creating opportunities for social, cultural and economic development. We provide expert guidance on identifying, preserving, and promoting heritage sites/areas, downtowns, and neighbourhoods, ensuring that the rich cultural history of your community is preserved for future generations while contributing to its unique identity and charm and stimulating social, cultural and economic revitalization and growth.
Our services include:
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Our Municipal Heritage Strategies provide a comprehensive plan that empowers municipalities to identify, protect, and manage their cultural and historical assets while fostering community growth. These strategies integrate economic, social, and cultural uses to build a community grounded in the past yet forward-looking.
By reflecting the diversity of local stories and cultures, our strategies ensure that all residents can see themselves within the social, cultural, economic, and heritage fabric of the community.
Our approach is deeply respectful of Indigenous traditions, culture, and environmental stewardship, and aims to unite communities around both Indigenous and non-Indigenous heritage. With policies, actions, and guidelines tailored to preserve and promote heritage sites, buildings, landscapes, and other significant elements, Cultural Futures helps create vibrant, inclusive communities where history and modern life coexist harmoniously.
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Our Heritage Area Strategies offer municipalities and developers a comprehensive approach to preserving and revitalizing historic areas and neighborhoods. By integrating conservation with tailored economic, cultural, and social strategies, these plans not only protect heritage assets but also foster vibrant communities that thrive economically and socially. Our strategies ensure that heritage districts remain dynamic, attractive destinations for residents and visitors alike, balancing the preservation of historical character with the need for modern amenities and equitable growth. Through collaboration with local stakeholders, Cultural Futures creates customized solutions that celebrate local culture while promoting sustainable development.
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Our Interpretive Planning services focus on creating meaningful connections between visitors and the cultural or natural heritage of a site. By carefully designing interpretive experiences that are engaging and educational, this service helps to convey the unique stories and significance of a place. The planning process involves collaboration with local stakeholders, historians, and educators to ensure that the interpretation resonates with the community and enriches the visitor experience.
OUR CULTURAL PLANNING SERVICES
Strategies for fostering
vibrant and inclusive
cultural engagement.
Cultural planning cultivates vibrant, dynamic, and diverse communities by strategically enhancing cultural assets and fostering creative engagement.
Our Cultural Planning Services support municipalities in fostering a thriving cultural ecosystem. We work with you to develop tailored strategies that enhance cultural assets, engage communities, and drive sustainable growth, creating a dynamic cultural landscape that reflects and celebrates your community’s diversity and creativity.
Our services include:
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Cultural Futures will craft a membership development strategy for your cultural organization by identifying the distinct needs of transactionally-motivated and relational-focused members.
By offering a mix of transactional benefits like free admission and shop discounts, alongside initiatives that deeply connect members to the organization’s mission, we ensure both immediate appeal and long-term loyalty.
Our approach will foster a vibrant community of advocates and supporters, enhancing your organization’s credibility and aiding in securing grants and sponsorships.
This dual-focus strategy will provide financial stability, reliable revenue, and a loyal base of members dedicated to the organization’s ongoing success and impact.
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OUR PLACEMAKING SERVICES
Strategies for nurturing
a shared identity and
sense of belonging.
Placemaking creates inclusive, equitable, and accessible spaces where people gather and build meaningful connections, nurturing a shared identity and sense of belonging.
Our placemaking services transform how communities think and engage with our built and natural spaces. We foster shared identity through communal spaces, stories, and experiences, encourage creative and collaborative expression, create equitable social, cultural, and economic opportunities, and protect and promote our shared heritage and treasured places.
Our services include:
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Cultural Future’s Site Design Service focuses on creating vibrant, functional spaces that reflect the unique cultural and historical context of each location. By integrating community needs with innovative design principles, this service transforms underutilized areas into lively, welcoming environments that foster social interaction, local pride, and sustainable development.
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Ulrich Consulting’s Placemaking Engagement Strategies are designed to deeply engage local residents and visitors by curating programs, events, and festivals that authentically connect to the local culture and heritage. These strategies provide equitable opportunities for creative industries to participate, while offering local visual and performing artists platforms to showcase their talents. By fostering these authentic experiences, the community's unique identity is celebrated and preserved, ensuring that the place resonates with both locals and visitors alike.
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Our interpretive planning services focus on creating meaningful connections between residents and visitors and the cultural or natural heritage of a site, district or community. By carefully designing interpretive experiences that are engaging and educational, this service helps to convey the unique stories and significance of a place. The planning process involves collaboration with local stakeholders, historians, and educators to ensure that the interpretation resonates with the community and enriches place-based experiences.
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Place-based branding is the process of creating a distinct and compelling identity for a specific location—such as a city, town, neighborhood, or region—that reflects its unique characteristics, culture, history, and values. This branding aims to shape perceptions of the place among residents, visitors, businesses, and investors, making it more attractive for tourism, investment, and community pride. Place-based branding goes beyond just a logo or slogan; it encompasses the overall image and narrative that the place communicates to the world.
An Ulrich Consulting place-based branding strategy not only enhances the visibility and attractiveness of a place but also fosters a sense of pride and belonging among its residents, leading to greater community cohesion and long-term economic and social benefits.
OUR WAYFINDING SERVICES
Strategies for creating a
welcoming and accessible
community.
Community wayfinding creates intuitive, accessible, and cohesive navigation systems, guiding residents and visitors while reinforcing local identity and connection.
Our Community Wayfinding Services make navigating your community easier and more enjoyable. We design intuitive, accessible wayfinding systems that enhance the user experience, promote local attractions, and strengthen community identity by helping residents and visitors alike find their way with ease.
Our services include:
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Our interpretive planning services focus on creating meaningful connections between residents and visitors and the cultural or natural heritage of a site, district or community. By carefully designing interpretive experiences that are engaging and educational, this service helps to convey the unique stories and significance of a place. The planning process involves collaboration with local stakeholders, historians, and educators to ensure that the interpretation resonates with the community and enriches place-based experiences.
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Cultural Future’s Wayfinding Systems provide clear and intuitive directional signage systems that enhance the accessibility and navigability of public spaces. These signage systems are designed to be both functional and aesthetically pleasing, integrating seamlessly into the environment while reflecting the cultural and historical context of the area. By guiding visitors effectively, the service improves their overall experience and helps them to fully engage with the space.
Our wayfinding system package provides a comprehensive set of tools, designs, and guidelines that help people navigate and orient themselves within a community, facility and its outdoor environments, or public space. The package is designed to create a cohesive and intuitive navigation experience that enhances accessibility, convenience, and safety for users.
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Place-based branding is the process of creating a distinct and compelling identity for a specific location—such as a city, town, neighborhood, or region—that reflects its unique characteristics, culture, history, and values. This branding aims to shape perceptions of the place among residents, visitors, businesses, and investors, making it more attractive for tourism, investment, and community pride. Place-based branding goes beyond just a logo or slogan; it encompasses the overall image and narrative that the place communicates to the world.
An Ulrich Consulting place-based branding strategy not only enhances the visibility and attractiveness of a place but also fosters a sense of pride and belonging among its residents, leading to greater community cohesion and long-term economic and social benefits.
WHY CHOSE US?
Our
Approach
Committment to Client-Centered Excellence
We prioritize building strong, lasting relationships with our clients, understanding their unique challenges, goals, and aspirations. Our client-centric approach means that we collaborate closely with each organization to develop customized strategies and solutions that drive sustainable growth and tangible results that exceed expectations.
Inclusive Community Engagement
We believe in the power of collaboration and actively engage with community members to ensure that their voices and aspirations are at the heart of our projects.
Cultural Preservation and Promotion
We work tirelessly to preserve and celebrate the unique culture and heritage of the space we work in, integrating the diverse lived experiences of those who call it home into the fabric of our development efforts.
Innovation and Adaptability
In today's rapidly evolving cultural landscape, innovation and adaptability are crucial for success. We are dedicated to fostering a culture of learning and innovation within our team, constantly exploring new ideas, technologies, and methodologies to ensure that our clients stay ahead of the curve. Whether it's leveraging cutting-edge tools or reimagining traditional approaches, we are committed to helping our clients embrace change and seize new opportunities.