OECD Culture and Local Development.pdf - PACA

4. THE CULTURAL FABRIC OF CITIES
Culture as a dimension of urban strategy
The second case is more widespread. It involves efforts to renovate certain
districts, generally as part of a broader strategy, such as that for the Jewellery Quarter
in Birmingham. It applies to big cities that bet on cultural investments to maintain or
defend their established position or to create new synergies with other economic sectors,
such as the “grands travaux” or large-scale public works that Paris undertook during the
1980s, or the countless efforts of other cities to renovate their museums as architectural
symbols. For example, the Musée d’Orsay created some 600 direct jobs. The Tate Modern
in London is said to have created 500 direct jobs. Other examples also depend on
the wellsprings of traditional activity even if they do not date back for centuries. Los
Angeles transformed its city centre, which was particularly down-at-heels, by turning
old factories into a fashion district, re-creating the atmosphere of a bazaar, and
attracting tourists. More generally, this strategy tends to be confused with the
development of cultural districts (Greffe & Pflieger, 2003).
In January 2004, the city of Yokohama announced plans to become a creative city
of art and culture. This decision followed an awareness, sparked in the wake of the
2002 World Cup soccer final, that Yokohama needed to open up new prospects for
mobilisation. Traditionally, the city had tended rather to undertake major capital
investment projects, such as the Minatomirai transport line or the new port facilities.
The underlying principle of the plan was to create systematic tie-ins between the
city’s infrastructure and development projects and its cultural policies, and to exploit
the potential held out by the arts and culture. From this standpoint, and as stressed
by the city’s mayor, Hirishi Nakada, it was necessary to consult everyone, so as not
to prejudge which artistic forms ought to be supported, and, on the contrary, to create
an atmosphere conducive to the development of all possible cultural genres and forms
of expression. This was a clear departure from the Japanese tradition that generally
tackled problems with extensive physical investment. The project is three-pronged:
- Creation of a core of creativity: centre-city areas are being cleared and developed
to attract and expand artistic activities. The first project to be carried out was
creation of the Bankart Centre, saving from demolition a site that had belonged
to Daiichi Bank. Because the Centre is located in close proximity to one of the
main railroad stations, it is expected to be patronised heavily by the local
population and travellers alike.
- Institution of a cultural image for the city (with a number of film festivals,
including one for French films).
- Creation of the National Art Park – a facility reserved for the display of various works
of art and for the staging of artistic events by both professionals and amateurs.
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