WKU Innovation Campus to Host Community Workshops for BG2050 Initiative

Preparing for the Future

Bowling Green, KY – Rapid growth and development is on the horizon in Bowling Green and Warren County. By 2050, county officials expect the population to increase significantly, equivalent to the current size of Bowling Green. To prepare for these changes, the BG2050 Initiative was established in 2023. Organized by the Suspenders of Disbelief and Innovation Engine, the initiative engages eight advisory teams to focus on adaptation strategies in key areas including quality of life, economic development, talent development, tourism, public health, housing, infrastructure, and storytelling.

Sam Ford, co-founder of the Suspenders of Disbelief and Innovation Engine, acknowledges the growth the area is experiencing. “Nobody knows exactly how fast, but what we do know is, it’s happening,” he states. In response, the initiative is taking active steps to plan for future development through inclusive and imaginative community engagement.

Upcoming Workshops

On June 14 and 15, the WKU Innovation Campus invites the community to participate in the 2050 Civic Imagination Living Lab workshops. These interactive workshops are intended to gather unique ideas and receive valuable feedback for the BG2050 Initiative. Ford encourages community members to join, stating, “It’s meant to be fun, have fun, imagine the future, tell stories of that future. What do you want to see? 2050 … gives you permission to play with it. Imagine, ‘What could we be?'”

International Facilitation

Karine Halpern, who has received funding from the Region of Paris in France, will host these workshops. This is her second time collaborating with WKU’s Innovation Campus. She aims to foster a learning environment that encourages collaborative designing and co-creation. Halpern explains, “It means we’re definitely learning from each other, wherever we are.”

Having a strong background in storytelling, she brings unique methodologies to the workshops, including an innovative card game that she has developed. Halpern believes in facilitating thinking, communication strategies, narrative designs, and leadership in these living lab scenarios. Most importantly, she encourages participants to come with an open mind. “The present is already the future … I think other people can learn from me and I will learn from them,” she says.

Community Input Valued

All ideas and feedback from the workshops will be presented to Warren County as a part of their ongoing 2050 initiative planning process. Ford explains the value of these workshops, “It’s a great chance to … think about what the future of the community might be with some fellow residents, meet some interesting people.”

The free workshops will take place at WKU’s Innovation Campus on Friday, June 14, and Saturday, June 15, running from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. both days. Interested participants can register through the BG2050 Initiative website, though pre-registration is not mandatory.