ABSTRACT
Certain territories and experiences have stood out as ‘creative milieus’ because they offer a specific atmosphere or certain conditions required to embed and develop sustainable creative processes in cultural activities (see Camagni et al. 2004; Cooke and Lazzeretti 2007; Costa 2007; Costa et al. 2007; Lazzeretti 2009; and in a wider perspective, O'Connor and Wynne 1996; Scott 2000). Specific governance mechanisms have played a key part in most of these success cases. The aim of this chapter is to explore a specific set of conditions that fosters creative processes in these experiences, particularly those related to reputation-building mechanisms and gatekeeping processes, which are undoubtedly vital to the development and sustainability of these cultural and creative activities.
