Crafting the Region: Creative Industries and Practices of Regional Space

Abstract

Thomas N. J., Harvey D. C. and Hawkins H. Crafting the region: creative industries and practices of regional space, Regional Studies. This paper draws on an analysis of craft-based networks in South West Britain to inform one's understandings of regional space; around thinking ‘territorially’ and thinking ‘topologically’. It considers how the contemporary ‘relational region’ negotiates the historical context of sedimented practices and imaginaries of territory and authority. Through an analysis of micro-social relations, the paper examines how regionally based governance structures are negotiated through trans-local, inter-regional and international practices. It calls for attention to be placed on the planned and prosaic, conscious and unconscious practices, discourses and connections that are involved in the becoming of a region.

区域 创意产业 手工艺 治理 相对性 英国西南部

Thomas N. J., Harvey D. C. and Hawkins H. 打造区域：创意产业与区域空间实践，区域研究。本文分析英国西南部的手工艺网络，以此增进理解区域空间之时间性与类别性的思考。本研究考量当代的 “关系性空间” 如何协商历史脉络中残留的对于领土和权力的想象与实践，透过分析微观的社会关系，检视植基于区域的治理结构如何透过跨地方、跨区域以及跨国之实践进行协商，并呼吁关注区域形构过程所涉及的计划与寻常之处、有意识与无意识的实践以及各种论述和连结。

Région Industries créatives Artisanat Gouvernance Relationnalité Sud-ouest de la Grande-Bretagne

Thomas N. J., Harvey D. C. et Hawkins H. Élaborer la région artisanale: les industries et les pratiques créatives de l'espace régionale, Regional Studies. Cet article puise dans une analyse des réseaux à caractère artisanal dans le sud-ouest de la Grande-Bretagne afin de mieux comprendre la notion de l'espace régionale; articulé autour des réflexions à la fois ‘territoriales’ et ‘topologiques’. On considère comment la ‘région relationnelle’ contemporaine négocie le contexte historique des pratiques et des imaginaires ancrées de territoire et d'autorité. À partir d'une analyse des relations micro-sociales, cet article cherche à examiner comment les structures de gouvernance régionales sont négociées par moyen des pratiques trans-locales, interrégionales et internationales. Il faut mettre l'accent sur les pratiques, les discours et les relations prévus et prosaïques, conscients et inconscients nécessaires à la réalisation d'une région.

Region Kreative Branchen Kunsthandwerk Regierungsführung Relationalität Südwesten Großbritanniens

Thomas N. J., Harvey D. C. und Hawkins H. Gestaltung der Region: kreative Branchen und Praktiken des regionalen Raums, Regional Studies. In diesem Beitrag soll mit Hilfe einer Analyse der Kunsthandwerk-Netzwerke im Südosten Großbritanniens das Verständnis des regionalen Raums im Rahmen des ‘territorialen’ und ‘topologischen’ Denkens erweitert werden. Wir erörtern, wie in der heutigen ‘relationalen Region’ mit dem historischen Kontext der sedimentierten Praktiken und Imaginären von Gebiet und Autorität umgegangen wird. Durch eine Analyse der mikrosozialen Beziehungen wird untersucht, wie regionale Regierungsstrukturen über translokale, interregionale und internationale Praktiken ausgehandelt werden. Wir plädieren für eine Berücksichtigung der geplanten und prosaischen bewussten und unbewussten Praktiken, Diskurse und Verbindungen, die am Entstehen einer Region beteiligt sind.

Región Industrias creativas Artesanía Gobernanza Relacionalidad Suroeste de Gran Bretaña

Thomas N. J., Harvey D. C. y Hawkins H. La creación de la región: industrias y prácticas creativas del espacio regional, Regional Studies. En este artículo analizamos las redes artesanales del suroeste de Gran Bretaña para informar de la comprensión individual del espacio regional en lo tocante al factor territorial y topológico. Consideramos cómo la ‘región relacional’ contemporánea negocia el contexto histórico de las prácticas sedimentadas y los imaginarios del territorio y la autoridad. Mediante un análisis de las relaciones microsociales, estudiamos cómo se negocian las estructuras de gobernanza a nivel regional a través de prácticas translocales, interregionales e internacionales. Abogamos por prestar atención a las prácticas, los discursos y las conexiones planificados y prosaicos, conscientes e inconscientes, que participan a la hora de convertirse en una región.

Keywords:

• Region
• Creative industries
• Craft
• Governance
• Relationality
• South West Britain

JEL classifications:

• O18
• R50
• R58
• Z10

Acknowledgements

The authors' thanks are due to the research participants for their generosity in sharing their experiences with them. The authors were fortunate in that the participants felt able to spend time with them and were happy for repeat engagements. The authors would also like to thank the Editors of this special issue and the anonymous referees for their advice and for enabling them to participate in this collection of papers.

Notes

In the South West, for example, the creative industries are worth £5.4 billion annually and in 2006 they employed over 144  000 people (Hardwick, 2010, p. 103).

These interviews were carried out as part of a larger body of empirical work undertaken between 2007 and 2010 with creative practitioners and arts organizations across the South West of Britain. Amounting to over one hundred interviews in total, as well as six periods of ethnographic work, this research forms the core of an Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)-funded project entitled ‘Negotiating the Poetics and Politics of Cultural Identity within the Creative Industries in South West Britain’ (Grant Reference AHRC AH/E/008887/1).

Originally a group of textile artists who trained together in Bristol, the Brunel Broderers formed a network of support, which also enabled opportunities for innovation and exhibition (Amy Houghton, interviewed 13 October 2008). The group still operates as an arts collective (see http://www.brunelbroderers.co.uk) (accessed on 21 April 2011 for details).

This agenda is set out in policy documents such as South West Arts (2002) and Crafts Council (2004, 2009).

This need to network beyond the region was reinforced by comments made during the authors' interview with Amy Houghton (13 October 2008) and by the reporting of links made between TFSW and Eastern Region Textiles Forum (ERTF) via the TFSW email circulation list (circular received 9 October 2008) and in ERTF's (2008) newsletter.

An example of an online community tool serving the digital media industries of the South West community is the Digital Peninsular Network (see http://www.digitalpeninsula.com) (accessed on 19 September 2011). For further discussion of the online craft communities, see Gauntlett (2011).

For the web presence of these guilds, see: http://www.guildcrafts.org.uk/; http://www.somersetguild.co.uk/; http://www.crafts.org.uk/; and http://www.cornwallcrafts.co.uk/home (all accessed on 15 March 2011).

For further discussion of the organization and structure of the RIB, see Williams (1958) and Bailey (1996, 2006).

As Bailey (1996) noted, there remains a need for a history of the RIB and its associated county-based organizations.

It is worth noting here that Sarah Cant also has links with TFSW and that it was Erica Steer who was the ACE-SW Crafts Officer involved in helping to set up TFSW; on leaving that post she joined Devon Guild as its Director in 2008.

See http://www.a-n.co.uk:81/artist/nan/organisation/62391 (accessed on 22 February 2010).

Set up in 1999, ALIAS is an artist-led organization that provides an advisory service to 130 artist-led groups across the South West. ALIAS organizes seminars, workshops and conferences, providing practical and conceptual advice for artist-run groups and projects across the region (see http://www.aliasarts.org) (accessed on 15 March 2011).

See, for example, the UK's ‘Living Places’ strategy, which aims to build ‘stronger communities through culture’ (see http://www.living-places.org.uk) (accessed on 15 March 2011). See also the Culture South West (CSW) (2008a, 2008b) regional cultural strategies and delivery framework.