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The notion of culture and regeneration

21 August 2008

By Paul Miller

Speaking to a Director of Regeneration recently, I was asked about the twin notions of ‘culture lead regeneration’ (such as The Angel of the North) and the development of creative industries.  I had not thought of the differences before, but I was forced to!

As a resident of Newcastle upon Tyne, I am grateful for the ‘cultural outlets’ that I now share with Gateshead.  Galleries, museums, theatres are key features of place attractiveness. People who successfully start businesses are often well educated with disposable income and they expect to live close to places that offer appropriate entertainment. The same is true of good retail - better off people like boutique outlets.

However, the DIRECT economic benefits of culture are more ephemeral. These arise through the employment created (marginal and often low paid) and overnight tourism. 

Therefore the regeneration of the south bank of the Tyne could be a key enabler of economic growth (as a place attractor) but on its own, it cannot alter the economic fundamentals.  These need an approach that addresses the key features of the economic structure. 

Can cultural regeneration stimulate the growth of creative industries?  It is difficult to see how they might to any significant degree.  

The Creative Industries

The DCMS definition of the creative industries captures a wide range of activity - software development, architecture, performing arts and so on.  Therefore, it’s difficult to be prescriptive about what a place might do.  For places outside London there has been a tendency to focus on the ‘performance’ aspects of the creative industries – music, games software development and so on. We rarely see reference to some of the less glamorous of the creative industries like architecture or the more prosaic kinds of software development like project management!

There ARE creative industries that should be close to the core industries they might service. ALL industries need specialist software; many might need (for example) specialist video - training films and so on. However, to put meat on ideas like these, it is vital to understand what services existing companies are buying and why.  Most businesses buy advertising, print and design – these are creative industries also.In other words, there ARE creative industries that might take off because they have the potential to be embedded in the industrial structure that exists.  Where there is no such potential, the risks are considerable.

Permalink: http://www.gavurin.com/culture (copy'n'paste)

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