No abstract

No abstract

In this article, I revisit Raymond Williams’ idea of culture as display, which he developed to describe a particular moment in culture–state relations: the use of culture and the arts in celebration, embellishment and strengthening of the economic and political power of the state. Jim McGuigan applied this concept to contemporary national cultural policy, emphasizing the significance of display under global capitalism. Besides this notable attempt, Williams’ idea of culture as ‘display’ has never received the attention it deserves. The main purpose of this article is to advance the understanding of ‘display’ by considering its place within the context of urban cultural policy. A critical inquiry into the roles of arts and film festivals helps to dissect different instrumental layers of urban display practices and to capture the ‘symbolic power’ of display. This, in turn, contributes to a more comprehensive conceptualization of globalized urban festivals.

No abstract