City of Bloomington Invites Public to Join Focus Groups on Bloomington’s Community Identity

The City of Bloomington announced a new series of public focus groups beginning June 3 as part of the WeAreBloomington branding initiative. The one-hour sessions will be held both virtually and in-person to gather input on what makes Bloomington unique and how the city should present itself to residents, visitors, and future employers and investors.

The WeAreBloomington project is a citywide effort to create a shared identity that reflects Bloomington’s values, strengthens civic pride, and supports future planning. Input collected from the focus groups will help shape messaging in marketing, economic development, tourism, recruitment, and community storytelling.

Residents can register for up to two of the following focus groups:

What Makes Bloomington, Bloomington?

• Tuesday, June 3 at 6 p.m. (Virtual)
• Saturday, June 7 at 12:30 p.m. (in-person at City Hall)

Attracting and Retaining Young Professionals

• Wednesday, June 4 at 12 p.m. (Virtual)
  
  

Downtown and Bloomington’s Built Environment

• Tuesday, June 10 at 12 p.m. (Virtual)

Pre-registration is required. Participants will receive a calendar invitation with meeting details after registering. The RSVP form and more information are available at wearebloomington.com.

In addition to the focus groups, residents are encouraged to complete a public survey that asks about Bloomington’s identity, values and future. The survey is available through June 16 on the project website.

The WeAreBloomington initiative is a year-long effort led by the City of Bloomington in partnership with CivicBrand, a national branding and engagement agency. The project responds to a 2016 recommendation from the City’s Wage Growth Task Force to develop a place-based brand strategy to support economic competitiveness.

“This project is about preserving and uplifting what makes Bloomington special while also giving us the tools to communicate that clearly and consistently,” said Mayor Kerry Thomson.

The initiative includes community engagement, surveys, stakeholder meetings, and input from a local advisory committee of residents, nonprofit leaders, artists, business owners and others.

For more information or to get involved, visit wearebloomington.com.