ABSTRACT
Cultural Capitals, even more than other contemporary cities, are situated within a globalizing economy and infused with the many dimensions of post-modernity. Many Cultural Capitals are also enmeshed in a maze of colonial and post-colonial relationships which infuse the creation and reception of art works. In Bilbao, the British imprint as well as the Latin American one continued in the 20th century through civic architecture, urban design, trade and cultural orientation. In the postcolonial era, representing and expressing the city through cultural artefacts be it public art, performances or heritage precincts will inevitably engage with this colonial past. In a belated post-colonial turn, Singapore moved to create cultural heritage enclaves within the city. One of the major promoters of Cultural Capitals around the world, Charles Landry noted in 2000 that the possibility of Singapore becoming a city of the arts by mobilising cultural heritage had been squandered by insensitive urban redevelopment.
