Becoming a creative city: perspectives from Augustus’ Rome

Abstract

The creative city discourse has been shaping cultural policy worldwide. Among the multifaceted goals highlighted by scholars, one aspect that is not thoroughly emphasized is the understanding of creative cities in terms of culture-centric approaches to foster city cohesion. In this paper, I study the value of focusing the idea of the creative city to integrate diverse communities in a historic context: the city of Rome during the reign of Augustus. The aim is to provide a broader historic frame of reference to better articulate the function of the creative city discourse. Through the analysis of primary and secondary literature in Ancient Studies, I highlight three aspects of Augustus' remaking of Rome: integration, spectacles, and beauty. From these aspects, what emerges is the idea of a creative city as a vital and spectacular place that offers access to arts and culture involving the diversity of the population, presenting a wide range of art forms, and enhancing the beauty of the built space.

Reviewing the role of cultural and creative industries in developing an urban cultural policy platform in Rasht city, Iran

“…In spite of economic growth, the development of CCIs can lead to an increase in the spatial agglomeration and unequal distribution of economic opportunities in urban areas (Kauko, 2016). Other researchers have expressed cultural policy failure as a result of detachment from an inclusive urban strategy (Redaelli, 2015) leading to an increase in gentrification and displacement of residents, especially in peripheral areas (Grodach et al , 2017).…”