The Extra-urban Cultural District: An Emerging Local Production System: Three Italian Case Studies

Abstract

This paper seeks to identify the distinctive variables of a particular type of local production system: the extra-urban cultural district (E-UCD). Although cultural districts are becoming an important field of investigation, most of the literature has concentrated on urban clusters, cities of art and cities of culture. However, place-based policies for rural development are also increasingly focusing on the need to valorize natural and cultural amenities. This paper contributes to the developing body of theory on cultural districts in extra-urban areas. The three levers whose valorization determines the success of the development of the E-UCD are identified. Each issue is discussed in theory and in practice, drawing on research on the three Italian case studies of Cinque Terre, Val d'Orcia and Ravello.

Acknowledgements

This paper is based on a research conducted for a Ph.D. thesis on “Local development in cultural districts” for the European Doctorate in Economics of Production and Development, University of Insubria (Italy). The author gratefully acknowledges Prof. Gioacchino Garofoli for his constructive supervision and all the interviewed actors for useful information. One anonymous referee is also acknowledged.

Notes

See the EBLA Center Working Paper Series of the University of Turin for elaborations on this topic.