Cultural Policy and Urban Regeneration in Western European Cities: Lessons from Experience, Prospects for the Future

Abstract

This paper reviews the uses of cultural policy and planning as tools of urban regeneration in western European cities. Following a brief assessment of the evolution of European cultural policy in recent decades, the paper studies the origins and development of the European City/Capital of Culture programme and explores the experience of cities considered to have succeeded in re-imaging and regenerating themselves through cultural activity and special events. The paper ends with a reflection on the notion of cultural planning and its potential as an integrated alternative to urban cultural policy, and offers recommendations for further development within the UK context.

Políticas culturales y participación digital en la cultura. Las paradojas del escenario cubano.

“…Pero al mismo tiempo, con el paso del tiempo el significado asociado al término se fue enriqueciendo, abarcando capacidades analíticas e incluso críticas de los procesos sociales. La investigadora Beatriz García (García, 2004) realiza una narración más detallada acerca de la evolución de las políticas culturales en Europa, que ilustra las transformaciones en las polí-ticas. En especial el doble movimiento de mayor atención a la cultura como factor económico junto a una retirada del Estado.…”

The Promise of the Affordable Artist's Studio: Governing Creative Spaces in London

“…The use of place-marketing strategies based, for example, on the exploitation of cultural attractions, mega-events and 'cultural quarters' to redevelop urban spaces has been a visible process, both in the West (Garcia, 2004a, 2004b, Evans, 2003, Balibrea, 2001, Rantisi and Leslie, 2006 and further afield (Lee, 2006, Yue, 2006, Hui, 2006. When aligned with discourses about the creative city (Landry, 2008, Leslie, 2005 and the creative class (Banks, 2009, Florida, 2002, Peck, 2005, Pratt, 2008, the importance of occupations based in the production of cultural goods and services in urban economies have been notable.…”

The cultural production of cities: Rhetoric or reality? Lessons from Glasgow

“…Ensure that cultural investment is assessed and measured for its cultural impact as well as for its economic and regenerative impacts. This requires increased support for longitudinal studies that monitor long-term progression of impacts and legacies ( Garcia, 2004 ).…”

“…The ECOC is simply a tool to help initiate a learning and growth process for our cities ' endless lifeline that if given the chance to make healthier at any point, should be taken with both hands. To this it is useful to illustrate a series of key lessons identifi ed by Garcia (2004) that UK planners can consider when embarking on major urban developments:…”