ABSTRACT
Cultural policy is important because it shapes cultural identities, fortifies hegemonic claims, and by means of heritage management 'writes' history. The analysis differentiates between the use of existing cultural assets and the creation of new ones in a field of conflict between local context and party ideology. This chapter argues that today's municipalities are constantly trying to (re-)shape the local context they are situated in, according to their party ideology, their municipal philosophy and their perception of what a 'city' entails. It describes how the council's 'politics of everyday culture' aims at crafting locality and a certain way of being local through their programmes at cultural centres. Despite the social-engineering aspects of municipal cultural policy, in reality, many municipalities lack a master-plan, and initiatives are often more piecemeal than part of an inclusive urban vision. Konya Metropolitan Municipality has also created a strong cultural image for its city, based on the Sufi poet Mevlana.
