“CIVIC GOLD” RUSH

Abstract

Cultural planning is a strategic approach to city re‐imaging and cultural industries development that variously involves establishing cultural precincts, nurturing creative activity, and re‐evaluating public life and civic identity. In the context of varying political configurations and local histories, cultural planning is touted as a policy intervention capable of achieving a wide range of cultural, social, economic and urban outcomes. This article considers key factors leading to, and legitimating, the incorporation of so many aspects of social and human endeavour into cultural planning, and the reasons why cultural planning must inevitably fail in its own terms. Two influences are identified as being particularly important. First, the adoption by cultural planning of an understanding of culture as the entire way of life of a group or community provides theoretical legitimacy for its wide‐ranging agenda but is also a source of instability. Second, it is argued that the political priorities of the “Third Way” have been significant factors shaping cultural planning around the world. Central here is the use of cultural planning as a tool for achieving social inclusion and citizenship – aims that are imagined principally in terms of economic accumulation.

Keywords:

• cultural policy
• social inclusion
• creative cities
• citizenship
• cultural capital
• arts

Notes

As this article was being written in late 2003, Charles Landry and John Montgomery – two leaders of the international cultural planning “industry” – were again in Australia espousing the virtues of the cultural planning formula for urban redevelopment and re‐imaging. In addition, Landry was appointed “Thinker in Residence” for the city of Adelaide in South Australia in 2003. The relevance to Australian cities and cultures of these European‐inspired prescriptions is an open question.

In parts of Australia (particularly New South Wales), it is becoming increasingly common for local governments to engage “place managers” who have many of the responsibilities associated with cultural planning, such as fostering local identity and a sense of belonging through place making, local heritage and public art programmes. Central to the place manager’s brief is a concern with social inclusion and capacity building (see, e.g., NSW Premier’s Department 2003).