Building upon the companion paper in this issue, this essay analyses five case studies that can be taken as prototypes of the system-wide cultural district culture-led developmental model. The research targets five cities in Europe and the U.S.: Valencia, Austin, Newcastle/Gateshead, Linz, and Denver. Continue reading Culture as an Engine of Local Development Processes: System-Wide Cultural Districts II: Prototype Cases
Category Archives: Guidelines
Culture as an Engine of Local Development Processes: System-Wide Cultural Districts I: Theory
Building on the early works of Alfred Marshall, analyses of local economies have emphasized the spatial function of clusters and industrial districts in terms of external economies of localization and agglomeration. Recent literature has emphasized the importance of culture and the complementarities between culture and local tangible and intangible assets. This paper aims to provide an analytical foundation for these processes with a view to developing tools for policy design, analysis and evaluation. By “system-wide cultural districts,” we refer to a new approach to local development where cultural production and participation present significant strategic complementarities with other production chains. Continue reading Culture as an Engine of Local Development Processes: System-Wide Cultural Districts I: Theory
The Interaction Between Culture, Health and Psychological Well-Being: Data Mining from the Italian Culture and Well-Being Project
The purpose of this study is to understand the impact of health status and cultural participation upon psychological well-being, with special attention to the interaction
between patterns of cultural access and other factors known to affect psychological well-being. Continue reading The Interaction Between Culture, Health and Psychological Well-Being: Data Mining from the Italian Culture and Well-Being Project
Culture 3.0: A new perspective for the EU 2014-2020 structural funds programming
In spite of the multiplication of successful examples of culture-led local and regional development across Europe and elsewhere (e.g. Sacco et al., 2008, 2009), there is a widespread perception that the role and potential of culture in the overall European long-term competitiveness strategy is still seriously underrecognized (CSES, 2010). This reflects in the difficulty to bring cultural policy issues at the top ranks of the broader policy agenda, and consequently explains why the share of structural funds devoted to culture badly fails to match the share of cultural and creative sectors in total EU value added. Continue reading Culture 3.0: A new perspective for the EU 2014-2020 structural funds programming
The Social Viability of Culture-led Urban Transformation Processes: Evidence from the Bicocca District, Milan
This paper investigates the relationships between cultural activities/investments and urban transformation processes, with reference to the transformation of the Bicocca district in the metropolitan core of Milan. Continue reading The Social Viability of Culture-led Urban Transformation Processes: Evidence from the Bicocca District, Milan
Evolutionary Selection of Socially Sensitive Preferences in Random Matching Environments
In this paper we study the evolutionary selection of socially sensitive preferences in the context of reference interaction settings such as coordination failure and cooperation. We refer to a specific class of socially sensitive preferences in which players weigh additively their own material payoff against the opponent with either a positive or negative coefficient (lambda-players). Continue reading Evolutionary Selection of Socially Sensitive Preferences in Random Matching Environments
Social preferences and private provision of public goods: A ‘double critical mass’ model
We set up an evolutionary game-theoretic model aimed at addressing the issue of local public good provision via direct commitment of voluntary forces (private donors and
nonprofit providers) only. Continue reading Social preferences and private provision of public goods: A ‘double critical mass’ model
Social capital accumulation and the evolution of social participation
We study the co-evolution of social participation and social capital accumulation, taking the view that the former contributes to the latter, and both contribute to socially enjoyed leisure. Continue reading Social capital accumulation and the evolution of social participation
European Culture Capitals and Local Development Strategies: Comparing the Genoa and Lille 2004 Cases
European capitals of culture have become a case study of primary inter-est for those concerned with the assessment of the long-run impact of systematic cultural policies. Starting from the first edition 1985, highly diverse cities have been chosen for this program, each one carrying its own socio-economic background, its endowment of cultural capital and so on. Consequently, different cities have chosen and implemented very different models of culture capitals, thereby generating different local impacts both in a short- and long-run perspective. The two cities nominated for 2004, Genoa and Lille, provide the basis for an interesting comparative study in that they have opted for very different models. Continue reading European Culture Capitals and Local Development Strategies: Comparing the Genoa and Lille 2004 Cases
The “Art City” as a local public good: the strategic interplay between private donors and arts organization
In this paper we set up a simple evolutionary game-theoretic model aimed at addressing the issue of ‘art cities’ promotion and preservation over time via simultaneous commitment of nonprofit actors such as private donors and arts organizations. Continue reading The “Art City” as a local public good: the strategic interplay between private donors and arts organization
re:thinking culture 