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shift has taken place in public policies and investments, which are going beyond
financing cultural infrastructures or preserving cultural heritage for tourism to feature
a wider approach to culture that uses it for a range of purposes, from preserving
social cohesion to re-appropriating urban spaces, from promoting imagination and
creativity to developing entrepreneurship and economic activities. Some European
cities have been at the forefront of this, for instance Arnhem (NL) - that has shown
a clear political willingness to revitalise its local economy through culture and creative
industries (particularly fashion) by funding several projects in the sector from the
beginning of the 2000’s - , or Dublin - with the development of a cultural quarter in
the historic area ofTemple Bar, a decaying area revitalised by cultural activities, notably
the relocation of creative businesses, artistic and cultural organisations in old
refurbished buildings. Nantes and Bilbao are other outstanding examples of culture-
led urban regeneration that will be called upon throughout this study.
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Because cultural and creative expressions and products are deeply rooted in the
territories where they have been created —echoing, incorporating and being inspired
by local symbols, traditions, knowledge, materials and practices— they become a crucial,
powerful site-specific resource for territorial development. European cities and regions
feature indeed a wealth of art and cultural expressions, products, activities and
ecosystems that, all together, constitute the cultural richness of Europe. Building upon
these can help them to position themselves in the new socioeconomic context as
creative cities and attract creative people and companies through culture- and creativity-
friendly ecosystems involving cultural amenities, high-tech services, good living and
working conditions, and an atmosphere of tolerance and freedom. All together, these
factors contribute in turn to their dynamism, cohesion and regeneration (KEA 2014).
2.3 EU policies for culture-led development
In the last 10 years, the European Union (EU)’s policies have echoed the
aforementioned paradigm shift, adopting a broader understanding of culture and
creativity and acknowledging their contribution to the EU.The 2007 Communication
on “A European Agenda for Culture in a Globalized World” was the first EU
document recognising that “The European cultural sector is a dynamic trigger of
economic activities and jobs throughout the EU territory. Cultural activities also help
promoting an inclusive society and contribute to preventing and reducing poverty
and social exclusion. It continues stating:“culture is an indispensable feature to achieve
the EU’s strategic objectives of prosperity, solidarity, security, while ensuring a stronger
presence on the international scene (EC 2007)”.
Such a new and more comprehensive approach to culture and creativity led to the
publication of the 2010 Green Paper on “Unlocking the potential of cultural and
creative industries” that aims at tapping into culture and the creative sectors’ potential
for development, providing that cultural and creative companies offer real potential
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For further details on these cities’ cases, see KEA (2012), Use of Structural Funds for Cultural Projects,
study for the European Parliament Directorate General for Internal Policies - Culture and Education
Committee
