Young people in a city of culture: ‘Ultimate beneficiaries’ or ‘Economic migrants’?

ABSTRACT

There is burgeoning literature on cities that host major cultural events. However, there is surprisingly very little empirical research focusing specifically on young people and cities of culture, so we have limited knowledge in terms of how young people actually experience and interpret cultural events. Given this, we offer an important and timely contribution to such debates. Our spatial focus is Derry/Londonderry (D/L) in Northern Ireland. During 2013 D/L was the UK’s inaugural City of Culture (CoC). The bid document and legacy plans for CoC stated that young people would be ‘cultural assets’ during 2013 and the ‘ultimate beneficiaries’ of the CoC legacy [Derry City Council 2010. Cracking the Code. City of Culture 2013. Derry: Derry City Council, 2013a. Our Legacy Promise. Building on the Success of 2013. Derry: Derry City Council, 2013b. Legacy Plan 2013–2023. Derry: Derry City Council]. This paper unpacks and analyses the extent to which young people in D/L related to and engaged with CoC and, arguably more importantly, how CoC affected their plans and aspirations for the future. Our research problematises the claim that young people were the ‘ultimate beneficiaries’ of CoC; most strikingly, it shows that young people, despite offering very positive views, both expect and desire to live in cities other than D/L. As such, the debilitating long-standing trend of economic migration of young people will continue raising important issues for local stakeholders.

KEYWORDS:

• Identity
• youth culture
• attitudes

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Michael Gallagher and the three anonymous referees for their helpful comments on an earlier version of this paper. Usual disclaimers apply.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Philip Boland http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1011-2447

Notes

1. In 1613 following the Plantation of Ulster by Scottish and English settlers the city was renamed Londonderry because guilds and liveries from the City of London financed the construction of the city's historic walls.

2. Following migration from the other side of the river the Waterside has a Protestant majority of 52% compared to 44% Catholic, whereas the Cityside is exclusively Catholic with 80% in almost every electoral ward (NISRA 2014).

3. Reform of local government in Northern Ireland (1 April 2015) saw the introduction of 11 ‘super councils’, one of which was the creation of a new Derry City and Strabane District Council.

4. Long-term objectives for 2020 are £98 million in additional wages and profits, 2800 net additional workplace jobs and 25% growth in creative industries (Derry City Council 2010, 2013b).

5. These are driving economic prosperity and job creation; improving life chances; instilling confidence; enhancing good relations; and facilitating peace and reconciliation.

6. An initiative seeking to develop musical talent by ‘putting children and young people's music making at the heart of Derry-Londonderry, UKCoC 2013’ (www.musicpromise.org/). Aimed at primary school children through to school leavers the project offered musical tuition in all areas from beat-boxing to folk; the SYNC element of the project saw young people develop showcase performances in community spaces using on-stage and backstage skills.

7. Live music event featuring high profile rock and pop performers.

8. Offered to 16–19 year old's Radio 1's Academy was a week of masterclasses, question and answer sessions, and practical demonstrations with leaders in the radio industry, business world, and music business. The Academy engaged young people in the technical element of radio production often unseen and unheard by listeners, allowing them special insight into the breadth of careers involved in the radio industry.

9. This took the traditional approach of the core four subjects (science, engineering, technology and maths) and integrated the arts into the curriculum to add a creative dimension to traditional academic subjects. The initiative, supported by industry, saw a wealth of school projects throughout CoC.

10. One of Northern Ireland's leading creative media arts centre. It offers wide-ranging programme of arts events, cutting edge projects, creative learning centres, training opportunities, and state-of-the-art production facilities (http://nervecentre.org/).

11. This is one of the best-known visual arts prizes organised by the Tate Gallery (www.tate.org.uk/turner-prize/about). In 2013 it was the first time it had been held outside of England.

12. Age 25 was selected in response to the initial piloting of the questionnaire with young people. They suggested that was an appropriate point in the future when they could imagine what they expected to be doing.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Leverhulme Trust [grant number RPG-2013- 091].