Inadequate adaptation of creative city paradigm? Taiwanese cultural and creative-led urban regeneration policies through the eyes of urban development experts

ABSTRACT

Like other East Asian countries, Taiwan has in the last decade experienced the transmission and adaptation of creative city policies, coming mainly from western urban planning models. This quite fast and at times insufficiently reflected adaptation of cultural and creative-led urban regeneration schemes has left marks on both the social and physical fabric of Taiwanese cities. Using interview evidence and combining it with a modified Delphi method to analyse the outcomes of implementating creative city policies, the article explores the potential emergence of new shifts, i.e. re-orientations of Taiwan's creative city policies.

KEYWORDS:

• Taiwan
• creative city policy
• creative-led urban regeneration
• Mini-Delphi
• urban development experts

Acknowledgements

The author would like to offer thanks for the support provided by the Taiwan Fellowship Program.

Notes on contributor

Matjaz Ursic, the research interests of author focus on the processes of socio-cultural transformation of cities and contemporary urban phenomena in the circumstances of globalization. Working experience includes research and lecturing on various international institutes and universities (Tokyo Metropolitan University, University of Seoul, Kwangwoon University, Soongsil University, National Cheng Kung University Taiwan). He is recipient of research grants from The Japan Foundation (2009), the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (2014), The Korea Foundation (2012) and the Taiwan Fellowship (2017). As a researcher he participates in various research-developmental projects with city municipalities and institutions that deal with revitalization schemes and the changing role of city centres (e.g. project ‘Urban Education Live’; Smart Urban Futures – ENSUF, JPI Urban Europe, ERA-NET, Horizon 2020); project ‘GETM3 – Global Entrepreneurial Talent Management 3’ (MSCA-RISE-H2020); project ‘Analysing the implementation of eco-city paradigm in Northeast Asia and Europe – A comparative study of cases from Korea, Slovenia, China and Sweden’ (NRF Joint Research Program); project ‘SECOND CHANCE – From Industrial Use to Creative Impulse’ (ERDF – Central Europe); project ‘SOSTENUTO – Thinking Culture as a Factor of Economic and Social Innovation’ (ERDF-MED); project: ‘REurban Mobil’ (FP5 EU Commission); project: ‘Civitas Elan: City – Vitality – Sustainability’ (FP7 EU Commission).

ORCID

Matjaz Ursic http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3792-9310

Notes

1 The list of institutions, organisations or interest groups in which the interviewees are active includes: National Taiwan University of Arts (NTUA), National Taipei University (NTPU), National Taiwan University (NTU), National Cheng Chi University (NCCU), College of Commerce, Graduate Institute of Technology, Innovation and Intellectual Property Management, Goodo – Creative Social Enterprise, Institute of Creative Industries, The Pier-2 Art Center, Department of Land Administration – Taipei City Government, Taipei Co-Space, Hi-Tech Promotion Center, DOED and Taipei Smart City PMO, Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, Huashan 1914 Creative Park, Tainan Cultural and Creative Park, Blueprint Cultural and Creative Park, Treasure Hill Artistic Village and other non-disclosed individuals or organisations. Specific organizations and the actual names of the interviewees are not disclosed to protect their personal data and respect their anonymity. 

2 The city creative qualities measured in the analysis conducted by Landry (2012, p. 38) were: ‘motivation, tenacity, awareness, clarity of communication, broad thinking, inspiration, aspiration, adaptability, dynamism, openness, participation, design awareness, sensory appreciation, professional pride, leadership, and vision’.