On-line journal no. 4 – July 2012 - Modelling the New Europe

Recommendations

Info

On-line Journal Modelling the New Europe Issue no. 4/2012 EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE-A TOOL FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Alina Ioana Pristaș, Ph.D. Student Faculty of European Studies, Universitatea Babeș-Bolyai Cluj-Napoca, Email address: a.pristas@yahoo.com Subjects of interest: the European Neighborhood Policy, European Structural and Cohesion Fund, Project Cycle Management. Abstract The title of European Capital of Culture (ECoC) is considered to bring many positive cultural, economic or even political effects. The article represents a closer study to identify the role of ECoC in regional development, the region on Transylvania. For a better understanding of the ECoC’s role and impact in regional development, we will present further on the case of two Romanian cities: Sibiu, which in 2007 received the title of ECoC, and Cluj-Napoca, which hopes to be rewarded with this title for the year of 2020 and which candidates to the title together with other two Romanian cities . Keywords: European City, Cultural city, improved European image, economic growth. Introduction European Capital of Culture represents a project conceived to bring Europeans closer together by highlighting the diversity and richness of European cultures and raising awareness of Europeans’ common values and history. We consider that the need of citizens’ togetherness is linked to the need of a common European identity, an identity that can be shaped through culture. 59
On-line Journal Modelling the New Europe Issue no. 4/2012 Nowadays, an increasing trend of using cultural policy to stimulate urban development and economic growth across Europe 1 , determined many cities to aspire to the title of European Capital of Culture (ECoC). This desire is founded on a vague yet growing understanding which presents the European cities as caught up in inter-urban competition 2 . Also, another belief is that cultural policies, if used properly, can achieve economic, social or political objectives 3 . To sustain the above-mentioned argument, we would refer to the Palmer’s Report on ECoC which evaluates a number of twenty one European Capitals of Culture projects, and which concludes that almost all of the candidate cities improved their image and achieved urban regeneration 4 . One of the cities submitted to the report was also Sibiu. Sibiu was the first city that received the title of European Capital of Culture in Romania and also the first city ever that received this distinction at the same year when its country became a European member. The distinction had a great importance for Sibiu and it brought many positive effects not only for the city, but for the entire region and for the new member state as well. It did not only place the city of Sibiu on the map of European Cultural Cities, but also helped improving the state’s image among Europeans, it let to economic growth and social cohesion. On the other hand, Cluj-Napoca represents a candidate city to the title of ECoC for the year of 2020. In 2010, the city expressed its intend in standing up for the title, and at the same time initiated some procedures, brought together a working group which begun to think to a strategy for this purpose 5 . Further on, we will start analyzing the two cities above- mentioned and we will focus on five main subjects: economic impact, tourism 1 Thomas Helie, Des politiques culturelles de façade? Les effets sociaux ambivalents des opérations de régénération urbaine par la culture, 2009 [http://www.congresafsp2009.fr], 25 February 2010], 1 June 2012 2 Alan Harding, ‘Urban regime in a Europe of the cities?’, in European Urban and Regional Studies, No. 4, 1997, pp.291-314 3 R. Griffiths, K. Bassett, I. Smith, ‘Capitalising on culture: Cities and the changing landscape of cultural policy’, in Policy & Politics, No. 2, Vol. 31, 2003, pp. 153-169 4 Rae Palmer, European Cities and Capitals of Culture: Study Prepared for the European Commission, 2006, [http://ec.europa.eu/culture/pdf/doc654_en.pdf], 1 June 2012 5 Information obtained from an interview with Florin Moroșanu, former director of the Cultural Department at the City Hall of Cluj-Napoca 60
Page 2 and 3:
Scientific Committee: On-line Journ
Page 4 and 5:
On-line Journal Modelling the New E
Page 6 and 7:
Page 8 and 9:
Page 10 and 11: On-line Journal Modelling the New E
Page 16 and 17: Bibliographie On-line Journal Model
Page 20 and 21: Introduction On-line Journal Modell
Page 22 and 23: Table no. 1- Proposed indicators 1
Page 66 and 67: 3. Cultural impact On-line Journal
Page 90 and 91: Bibliography On-line Journal Modell
show all

On-line journal no. 4 – July 2012 - Modelling the New Europe

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?