The Territorial Approach to Cultural Economy: New Opportunities for the Development of Small Towns

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a notable development of research on the role of culture in regional and local development models and on the relevance of the so-called cultural economy. Despite the existence of several nuances, it is possible to identify two basic research approaches to the issue. The first is focused on analysing the industry of culture, showing the processes of concentration of cultural activities in some places and the links with other sectors of the local economy. The other approach, more oriented towards the territory, emphasizes the role that a system of cultural assets can play in the dynamics of economic and social development of a specific area. In contrast to the first, which concerns larger cities, the territorial approach privileges medium- and small-sized towns and rural areas. In adopting this perspective, we present the case study of Volterra, a small Italian town whose cultural heritage has been considered in recent years as the main local development driver. By means of a direct survey and interviews with opinion leaders, we have attempted to assess the perceptions and reactions of residents and visitors and to identify the connections between the local heritage, cultural activities and strategies of urban development.

Notes

The paper is the result of joint research activity; however, Michela Lazzeroni has written the sections Introduction, Cultural Economy and Small Towns, Research Methodology, The Point of View of the Insiders, The Perception of the Outsiders; Nicola Bellini has written the section From Identity to Area Image; Gisella Cortesi has written the sections The Role of Cultural Heritage, Research Methodology; and Anna Loffredo has written the section City of Culture: A Possible Brand?. The Conclusions section has been written by all the authors together.

Furthermore, new cultural hubs also emerge in developing countries, associated with some cities that tend to build a new image by means of culture. A good example is Singapore, which was an important hub for the assembly of electronic components and is now presenting itself as “global city of the arts”, or Mumbai with “Bollywood” which has become an important centre for film production, not only for the Indian market, but worldwide (Lorenzen et al., 2008).

Examples of this are the attempts to create networks between creative clusters at a European level, within the new URBACT programme. This kind of projects have the aim to reinforce the development of small- and medium-sized towns within the context of considering creative clusters as a tool for the diversification of the local economy and the creation of new employment for the young. This involves using cultural events as catalysing elements, developing a new range of facilities and infrastructures aimed at favouring the development of creative economy and attracting and keeping talented people.

Analysing the case study of Wollongong in Australia, a small city located near Sydney, Waitt and Gibson, (2009) illustrate the difficulties in transforming this industrial town (and some of its “working class” districts) into a centre of creative and cultural activities and a pole of attraction for the creative class. This latter category is represented in the area by residents (mostly in the houses along the seafront), who however continue to work in Sydney, the largest Australian city and centre of film production, music, media marketing and other activities of the creative industry.

Although there has been a strong decrease in employment in this sector due to the closure of the psychiatric hospital (law 180/78) and even though the local hospital has slightly reduced its personnel in recent years, the health sector is still relevant, thanks to the activity of specialized clinics, which also attract patients from outside, such as Auxilium Vitae—Multispecialist Clinical Center of Rehabilitation, founded in 1998 as a joint-stock company, as an initiative of the Local Health Authority N°5 of Pisa, with the participation of Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Volterra, of local Council districts and the Comunità Montana of the Upper Cecina Valley.

On two Sundays in August, the local population is involved in a historical medieval re-evocation: the town becomes a stage for knights, nobles, artisans and merchants, common citizens and peasants, flag-wavers and crossbowmen, musicians and jugglers in order to celebrate and to evoke the medieval period of Volterra.

This refers to SIAF (International School of Advanced Education), founded by the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio of Volterra, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna and Regione Toscana, which organises higher education training courses, attracting human resources and skills from the outside.