A discussion on the governance of ‘Creative Cities’: Some insights for policy action

Abstract

The implementation of ‘Creative Cities’ projects worldwide in recent years has been characterized by a great diversity of institutional frameworks and governance mechanisms. Departing from the contemporary debates on ‘creative cities’, the article aims to discuss the diversity of regulatory mechanisms and governance forms. Some tentative typologies of case studies and governance mechanisms are drawn in order to improve the understanding of the dynamics, to build up knowledge on suitable ‘Creative Cities’ governance models, and to develop ideas to support a strategy for public intervention in the Portuguese case.

Keywords:

• creative cities
• creativity
• cultural activities
• governance
• urban

Notes

1. This text is a revised version of a text previously published in the Dinâmia Working Paper series (Costa et al. 2006), and presented to the XVIth RESER International Conference – ‘Services governance and public policies’ (Lisbon, September 2006). In the present version, the focus of the paper is changed, and some sections have been considerably revised (mainly the first, second and fifth sections). However, the text of the third and fourth sections is essentially the same as previously published in the other version of this article. The authors would like to acknowledge Ricardo Ferreira for his contributions to the reflection that made this paper possible and for his collaboration with the creative industries and creative cities governance models working group in Dinâmia.

2. Governance is used in this text in its broader sense, i.e. related to all ways of conducting any human organization (in the sense of system regulation, broader than government or policy action, and comprehending the regulation of power mechanisms and coordination of relations, including non-marketable: from governmental actors and policy action, to market mechanisms, firm hierarchies or formal or informal networks – see Benko & Lipietz 1992).

3. Costa, P. 2005. A noção de cidade criativa e as suas implicações para as políticas culturais: alguns contributos para uma reflexão sobre o caso português, Conferência ‘Políticas Públicas para o Desenvolvimento’ (Lisboa 16–17 Junho), ISCTE, Lisboa.

4. For a discussion of the ‘creative industries’ notion see Costa et al. (2006).

5. It is important to note that this typology is naturally a theoretical construction for specific expositive purposes, and in a number of cases the distinction between approaches and their strict relation to authors’ thinking frameworks are an incompatible and reductionist task (e.g. for ‘reading’ the same author, two or even the three perspectives defined can be possible and even complementary).

6. http://www.pch.gc.ca/pc-ch/sujets-subjects/arts-culture/film-video/index_e.cfm

7. Despite its broader scope, the Portuguese Technological Plan Cabinet (linked to the application of the Lisbon Strategy) presents some of the same across-the-board features as its British counterpart, though in an embryonic way.

8. For more information on the Portuguese cultural and creative industries, see Magalhães (2004), Costa (2005), Mateus (2005), Santos, (1998, 2005), and Babo & Costa (2006).