About William Cochran

William Cochran is a distinguished artist renowned for pioneering participatory and co-creative art and design in urban revitalization over the past three decades. His work focuses on transforming distressed downtowns into catalytic, sustainable, and inclusive public spaces through large-scale public artworks, public space design, and public art master plans.

Cochran's approach seamlessly blends innovative techniques with timeless design principles, emphasizing the use of premium materials and a commitment to environmental, economic, and cultural sustainability. He is dedicated to inclusive, professionally designed processes of deliberative public participation, ensuring that community voices are integral to the creation of public art and public spaces.

One of his most acclaimed projects, Community Bridge in Frederick, Maryland, set a new standard for large-scale co-creation in public art. This project has been internationally recognized for its innovative approach to community engagement, influencing national practices and establishing community involvement as a cornerstone of the public art field.

In Cumberland, Maryland's historic city center, Cochran recently completed what is considered the nation's first artist-designed streetscape. This project has been lauded as "a world-class public space" and "a perfect example of sustainable design" by state planning leaders.

Throughout his career, Cochran has collaborated with over sixty artists, architects, landscape architects, and design teams. His diverse clientele includes municipalities, cultural organizations, leading developers, and non-profit entities. His portfolio encompasses landmark public artworks, public art master plans, cultural trails, and sculpture parks.

Cochran's projects have garnered national and international recognition, earning numerous awards, including:

• A top National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Mayor's Institute on City Design (MICD 25) grant.
• The Core Values Award from the International Association for Public Participation.
• The Robert Macon Award for Urban Innovation.
• The Award for Excellence from the National Glass Association.
• Two Project of the Year awards from the American Public Works Association.

Cochran is also a sought-after speaker, having presented at regional, national, and international conferences across various fields. His insights into vision, creativity, and the mysteries of human perception have inspired audiences at universities, museums, and professional gatherings.

His contributions to contemporary public art are acknowledged in Robert Bersson's art history textbook "Responding to Art," highlighting his impact on the field.

Cochran's dedication to integrating art into urban spaces has not only beautified environments but also fostered community engagement, cultural identity, and sustainable development. His work continues to serve as a model for leveraging public art and design as a tool for urban transformation and community building.

About Teresa Cochran

As a Public Art and Participation Planner/Consultant/Facilitator at Cochran Studio, Teresa Cochran is a driving force in the creation of large-scale public participation processes and the management of significant, site-specific public artworks.

A trained specialist in public participation, Teresa excels in orchestrating processes that gather diverse stakeholder and public input, shaping development strategies for public site design and public art trails and artworks. Her collaboration extends across various sectors, including government, community-based, corporate, and non-profit organizations.

Teresa's consultancy roles include city public art programs and innovative community engagement initiatives. She has been a public art consultant for an American Institute of Architects' Sustainable Design Assessment Team that helps cities envision a sustainable future.

Teresa was co-founder and founding executive director of Shared Vision: Public Art for Community Transformation and its director of public participation. Shared Vision's inaugural project, Community Bridge (1998), is recognized as an early exemplar of mass-scale public participation and arts-based revitalization and has helped catalyze more than $300 million in public and private development around it.

A recipient of the Core Values Award from the International Association of Public Participation (2000), Teresa also leads corporate training programs. As chairman of the board, she played a pivotal role in the construction of the world's first Platinum LEED-certified school building in Maryland. She has directed national arts-based educational conferences and co-founded Shared Vision: Public Art for Community Transformation, recognized for its pioneering approach to public participation in the arts.