The Importance of Neighborhood Context in Arts-Led Development

Abstract

This paper contributes to the creative city-community development arts policy debate by examining the association of arts organizations to various neighborhood contexts in New York City. Results from multivariate regression analyses show that arts organizations regardless of type are positioned to serve the creative class rather than play a community development role. Notably, only a small subset of locally focused organizations and organizations with smaller expenditures locate in disadvantaged and immigrant neighborhoods where they might play a direct role in community development. Instead, most arts organizations tend to locate in the most highly urbanized, amenities-rich areas with young working singles and creative industries. These findings raise important questions for incorporating the arts into neighborhood planning efforts.

The arts, Bohemian scenes, and income

“…Differences shift with the type of consumer and number and types of staffing, material, and infrastructure. Our estimates suggest that the narrow art establishments measure is slightly more predictive of higher median household income than the wide measure, consistent with past studies considering multiple arts definitions Kushner, 2013;Murdoch et al, 2016;Silver & Miller, 2013). Table 2 results show a weaker relationship between the arts and income in moderately disadvantaged neighbourhoods, relative to the most and least disadvantaged.…”

“…About a dozen studies have explored these issues comparatively, mostly using cities and neighbourhoods in the US, finding that the arts grow where people concentratemeasured by population size, growth rate, or density (Grodach, Currid-Halkett, Foster, & Murdoch,, 2014;Kushner, 2013;Murdoch, Grodach, & Foster, 2016;Patterson & Silver, 2015;Schuetz, 2014). Only one study examines arts growth specifically in disadvantaged neighbourhoods in NYC: Murdoch et al (2016) report that organizations locating into such neighbourhoods are the exception not the rule, and tend to be younger organizations, to target local audiences, have smaller budgets, and rely on part-time volunteers.…”

A qualitative exploration of arts‐based neighbourhood revitalization: The case of ‘The Space at 2106 Main’ in West Tampa, Florida

“…According to Palermo (, p. 538), the role of the arts and culture can be attributed to the fact that it is easy to transform into a “valuable participatory tool for increasing the emotional ties of residents to an area provided that art connects to the local identity.” As such, using the arts as a neighbourhood‐based revitalization strategy has become an increasingly hegemonic (Phillips, ) element of the cultural economy of cities. Accordingly, arts‐based urban revival has become a central tool in the planning toolbox of economic development officials and city planners with almost every large to mid‐size city now possessing arts districts (Murdoch III, Grodach, & Foster, ).…”

“…The assumption is that community arts organizations are uniquely positioned to promote a sense of place and civic identity and to serve the needs of urban cultural elites, especially of the “creative classes” (Florida, ). Murdoch III et al (, p. 34) have shown that “arts and cultural activity can lead to community engagement by preserving cultures that define local communities and boost potentially small, locally owned business and other aspects of the local economy.” However, not all arts‐based neighbourhood revitalization necessarily benefits all sectors of local economies, hence Murdoch III et al’s () conceptual distinction between two approaches to arts driven development. They are the “creative city” approach and the “community development” approach.…”

“…As such, using the arts as a neighbourhood-based revitalization strategy has become an increasingly hegemonic (Phillips, 2004) element of the cultural economy of cities. Accordingly, arts-based urban revival has become a central tool in the planning toolbox of economic development officials and city planners with almost every large to mid-size city now possessing arts districts (Murdoch III, Grodach, & Foster, 2016).…”