Regeneration
This subportal
provides examples of culture-led regeneration projects and initiatives.
These examples
cover local and site specific regeneration, as well as initiatives that have
been developed in response to particular challenges within a city, region or
country.
The examples are divided into five kinds of regeneration projects. These
are:
- City/State-focused Major Initiatives / Strategies /
Plans
- "Districts" and "Quarters"
- "Single Buildings" and
"Facilities"
- Rural-focused Initiatives / Strategies / Plans
- Technology-focused Initiatives / Strategies / Plans
A Note on Definitions
Put simply the process of culture-led regeneration can be
defined (and often is in practice) as any type of regeneration-focused activity
that is stimulated, catalysed and driven through cultural activities but
outside of this relatively simple statement, definitions are many, varied and
often contradictory.
With respect to "culture", definitions can centre on
a whole variety of cultural forms. These can include activities around
art-forms. Or focused on land-forms and various aspects of the built
environment. Or the production and distribution of types of products - books or
films for instance. Or the exhibition of
specific types of artefacts - in museums and similar venues. Or activities focused upon the historic
traditions of a place and peoples - such as the identity of specific
communities, historical events, or the collective or distinct heritages of one
or more groups of people. Historically,
although arbitration in cultural matters has never been easy, even when the
definitions are relatively simple, cultural expressions have been recognised
hierarchically and in the Western European democracies, endorsed through
state-subsidies to support them. Now
however, definitions of culture have evolved and become more complex, not least
because it has become recognised that cultural activities of all kinds do have
a key role in driving economic activities and social cohesion under
particular circumstances.
Put very simply, "regeneration"
is about a fusion between economic activity and social well-being. In addition,
regeneration is considered to have a more local than national focus, to have
something to do with neighbourhood, town and city-level renewal and growth, to
have a concern for social justice, the protection of the less wealthy, and to
be concerned with sustainability and positive environmental effects.
But some argue that these are words which are used to
justify insubstantial and ineffective actions.
In truth, "regeneration", like its near relative "growth", remains
poorly-defined as well as something of a policy "holy cow". Like many other holy-cows of policy,
neighbourhoods everywhere are now expected by governments to prioritise some
form of regeneration However, action in this area needs to be carefully
considered - ill-advised or badly thought-through regeneration projects and
activities can cause their own new set of problems and challenges.
And so the complexities of the situations begin to emerge. Culture-led
regeneration is neither a neutral, nor an area where values and objectives are
commonly defined or shared in detail by all those subject to it, or those
charged with making it happen. Lastly it does not follow that culture-led
regeneration is always positive in its effects and benefits.
The pages in this subportal have been prepared by Keith
Hackett and Geoffrey Brown
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