ABSTRACT
Developing an understanding of the production and consumption of urban creativity and its impact on economic vitality begins with this question: "What is the role of arts and culture in modern cities?" Within the framework of a comparative case study of Toronto and New York, this chapter explores the relationships between municipal cultural policy and agenda setting in the economic development departments, specifically the increased presence of arts and culture as a part of the urban toolkit. In policy domains, understanding the role of arts and culture can be examined through the three phases of agenda setting, implementation, and evaluation. A theory involves the Social Construction of arts and culture. In this framework, the public's perception of arts and culture may have changed, and artists and cultural workers now are viewed as productive and important members of society.
