URBAN REGENERATION, ARTS PROGRAMMING AND MAJOR EVENTS

Abstract

The potential of arts activity as a tool for urban regeneration has been widely discussed since the early 1980s. In parallel, notions of “cultural/urban tourism” and “arts/city marketing” have gained great popularity among marketers, city planners and cultural policy‐makers alike. Major events are seen as effective catalysts for city regeneration processes as they are able to merge tourism strategies with urban planning and can boost the confidence of local communities. However, arts programming has yet to achieve a position that allows it to be perceived as a relevant contributor to the success and legacy of large‐scale urban events. This article explores the contradiction between the celebrated potential of the arts in urban regeneration processes and their poor position within major events. In so doing, it compares the experiences of three cities, each host to major events with strong arts and cultural components: Glasgow 1990 – European City of Culture; Sydney 2000 – Olympic Games and Olympic Arts Festivals, and Barcelona 2004 – Universal Forum for Cultures.

Keywords:

• city marketing
• urban regeneration
• cultural tourism
• arts programming
• events
• legacy

Notes

The analysis of Australian press coverage on the Olympic Arts Festivals from 1997 to year 2000 reveals that 87% of the stories were placed within the arts sections of the papers rather than the Olympic sections. Only 20% indicate explicitly that the event was part of the Olympic Games, and 25% do not make any mention of their official Olympic denomination (García 2002). Furthermore, 41% of stories were presented in the standard format of arts reviews and highlights, and were thus indistinguishable from other articles about non‐Olympic programme events (García 2002).

La Fura dels Baus was one of the most acclaimed arts groups contributing to the Olympic opening ceremony in 1992 and have gained wide international recognition ever since.