“Happy, healthy and participatory citizens”: suburban cultural policy in the Finnish city of Jyväskylä

ABSTRACT

This study examines how culture is positioned to the strategic goals of one Nordic city. It explores how strategic (cultural) policy measures aim to enable and implement participation and residents’ cultural activity, a perspective commonly underlined as a core objective and value in the welfare states’ cultural policy. Two suburbs selected provide an urban context to conduct the cultural policy analysis. The findings indicate a possible variation in both the strategic role of culture and the cultural policy pursued in different urban contexts. In suburbs the implementation of cultural policy relies on the civic activities and actors of the third sector. Additionally, the cross-administrative nature of cultural policy related to the different city areas should be acknowledged explicitly in cultural policy and urban planning. To achieve this, more research is needed on the residents’ and other actors’ role in the urban culture-led strategic development in different areas of cities.

KEYWORDS:

• Cultural policy
• cities
• suburbs
• participation
• strategic planning

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Ministry of Environment, Finland [Lähiö funding].

Notes on contributors

Mervi Luonila

Mervi Luonila* (DMus in Arts Management) works as Senior Researcher at the University of Jyväskylä and Center for Cultural Policy Research, Cupore. She works in projects that explore the impacts of arts and culture in cities and regions focusing on especially on the decision making in cultural policy. Dr Luonila research interests also concern the management topics of arts productions especially in the context of arts events and festivals. Her research has been published recently in the International Journal of Arts Management, Arts and the Market Journal, and Event Management, among others.

Olli Ruokolainen

Olli Ruokolainen (D.Sc.(admin.), Regional studies) is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Jyväskylä and the Center for Cultural Policy Research (Cupore). His main research interest is in the development of cultural and creative activities in urban and regional contexts. In addition to this he has conducted research on the regional (economic) impacts of cultural activities. Dr. Ruokolainen has recently led a project that analysed the impacts of the Finland 100 centenary year. Recently his research has been published in the International Journal of Urban and Regional Research.