ABSTRACT

Over the last three decades urban regeneration and tourism in Europe have become most closely linked through the phenomenon of cultural regeneration, an approach to urban development that has become a significant part of the suite of approaches to regeneration used by governments and regeneration agencies (Evans 2005; Smith 2007a; Vickery 2007). Landry (2000) argues that the reason why some post-industrial cities have prospered since the economic crises of the 1970s and 1980s is precisely because they made this turn to cultural investment and creativity in the context of urban decline and renewal. Evans highlights the potential for cultural development as a mode of action within the policy arena as one of the few available strategies that can engage with globalisation and ‘capture the twin goals of competitive advantage and quality of life’ (Evans 2005: 960), perhaps helping to explain its current popularity. Grodach and Loukaitou-Sideris (2007) reinforce this perspective, highlighting how cities pursue cultural development strategies to catalyse inward business investment, increase consumption by residents and tourists, improve city image and enhance local quality of life.