“Creative placemaking” is a buzzword that you should get used to, because it probably isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. It is the lynchpin of the massive private-public grant program, ArtPlace, backed by a number of powerhouse philanthropies, financial institutions, and federal agencies. The grants, worth a total of $15 million, will be spread among winners selected from a list of 127 finalists nationwide in 2012. Last year, 34 organizations received a total of $11.5 million.

Creative placemaking describes the practice of using space in different and social ways to get people involved in culture and arts, and it’s a trend that can be seen cutting a wide swath through the Bay Area, from Oakland’s Art Murmur to San Francisco’s Parklets, to new designs for the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and Exploratorium that incorporate interactive displays and open gathering spaces.

Among the 127 finalists the Bay Area made a strong showing:

San Jose, Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana

San Jose, San Jose Public Art

San Francisco, San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association

San Francisco, Burning Man Project

San Francisco, envelope Architecture + Design (envelope a+d)

Oakland, City of Oakland Cultural Arts & Marketing