NOTES on CITY, CULTURE, and (CULTURAL) POLICY Joan Subirats

UCLG Committee

Leading City of the Agenda 21 for Culture United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) © Institute for Culture of Barcelona (ICUB)

NOTES ON CITY, CULTURE, AND (CULTURAL) POLICY Joan Subirats

[email protected] May 2018 1 © Thomas Vilhem

JOAN SUBIRATS

Joan Subirats is a Professor of Political Science and Researcher and Co- Director of the PhD Program of the Institute of Government and Public Policy at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. His research fields include Policy Analysis, Democratic Innovation, Public Participation and Local and Regional Government. Professor Subirats has been a visiting scholar at several American and European universities. He is a member of the Editorial Board of several Spanish and International Journals of Political Science and Public Management. Since January 2018 he is the Commissioner of Culture of the Barcelona City Council.

2 I understand that every debate on culture and city needs its reflections to be understood within its current context, not just with respect to each specific city but rather within the global arena. It can be viewed within its cultural climate, denoting a specific policy environment, or the effects of the deep economic crisis we are going through. Instead this must be understood as the beginning of a new era. In an environment of historic large-scale transformation, brought about by changes in technology and globalisation, the city is once again centre stage. Although, it is quite difficult to speak of the city in general terms. Each city searches for its own path amid this uncertainty.

More globalisation and localisation have changed a city and its environment into a place where many things happen. It is a place for possibilities, but also a place for conflicts. Speaking about a city has always been synonymous with talking about its strengths and weaknesses. A city faces a number of unique perspectives on its ideal future goals and how to achieve them: Cultures of competition and collaboration, memory or heritage, but also of innovation and alternativeness. These include established, hidden, or emerging cultures. When speaking about urban culture, or a city culture, we inevitably end up talking about values, and about policies.

CITY The concept of a city had, and still has, make a place unique. Something that many meanings. A city is a specific is acceptable in one city may not be place, with unique characteristics and in another. What one takes pride in, differing population densities in its another may view as negative. centre and surrounding areas. A city is a collection of things, buildings, and A city must be able to be read, spaces, but different cities are made interpreted, described, and mapped in up of different elements. A city is a order to be discussed. In this sense, a place for specific cultural practices. A city can adapt to its networks. Networks city is a collection of social practices of urban professionals, architects, that are shaped over time—with a designers, artists, academics, writers, single memory and different unique musicians, and many more, are all memories. There is no single story, no part of a city, and all depend on a city. single narrative possible for a city. In this way, we can also think of a city as a show. It is a place for major events But, a city is not just a place. It is more and a concentration of large buildings. than that. A city is home to dynamics It is home to artefacts that express the that are not always visible. The city different people living in this space. encompasses a large patchwork of While it may seem contradictory, a city’s exchanges and flows. Therefore, it is a spectacular nature, population flows, place for intermediation and transfer. and density, all require large amounts Different ideas, data, information, of predictability and reliability. Things interests, and money flow through need to function, otherwise cities turn cities. And that’s not all. Feelings are into inhospitable, inhabitable places. also concentrated here. A city is a stage where people live, love, suffer, We must also speak about memory, and and care for one another. One cannot memories, and therefore the city as overlook parts of a city defined by time. Cities have been, are, and will be— beliefs, values, and other things that past, present, and future. Cities move to

3 distinct rhythms, focused on one area Here, I wish to discuss city and culture, or another. They can move quickly and and cultural policy from a perspective slowly. They have cycles and surprises. that aims to help build an open and They are places to think; places to socially just city, avoid inequality change. Cities are history. But their and exclusion, promote inclusion unique people and their unique places and recognition, reinforce emerging have their own histories. They are never trends, and avoid dependency while the same and never predictable, but simultaneously recognising essential continuous. Ultimately, as Lefebvre said, interdependencies. a city is a large machine of possibilities.

CITY CULTURE: A CITY AS A CULTURAL PRODUCT What are we saying when we refer to At every turn, cities have been built culture and city? We are talking about by, and continue to be defined by, city culture but also urban culture; decisions made by those with power, about a cultural city, and about cultural money, or technology. Institutions policy. have the obligation to regulate this dynamic through their positions of We must consider and recognise influence. However, while various ongoing flows, and the creative and plans and goals may be developed, it is destructive dynamics of any city by ultimately the specific individuals and incorporating essential components of groups that pursue these initiatives. what make up the urban experience. They improvise, follow the plan, or This means to coexist in proximity both. Daily life, different ways of using, with foreigners and fellow citizens—a incorporating, living, or capturing coexistence mediated through the city end up creating unique and social status, different genders, or specific urban cultures. place of origin. There are different cities for unique people. There is The plan for each city is determined no reason to confuse a city with any by social, economic, and political preconceived idea of it. We propose a factors. These factors are cultural, city in which visitors and actors can and not “natural”, in that they are always exchange with each other, or thought, lived, and determined by rather, a city as a cultural product. past and present. They are ever- Understanding culture as a process of changing and serve different interests. forming, expressing, and exchanging How a city is perceived and lived is ideas such as those that emerge from mediated by each person’s cultural art, architecture, film, or fashion. The values and their loyalties to class, city is a cultural product, and a place ideology, or neighbourhood. A new where a large part of cultural activity neighbourhood, full of architecturally unfolds. The urban nature of this important buildings, can be seen as cultural production and exchange is one that expresses modernity and the relevant for seeing culture and city future, or as a way of disrupting pre- within the same context. existing urban balances. Surrounding

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neighbourhoods can be seen as also desirable. Power, money, and an expression of social disorder technology strongly influence the or as an example of community shape of a city. Democratising a city strength. Diversity characterises a means creating transparency and city. Appropriation and resistance participation in creating urban spaces can be reflected in activities, and in and in the narratives that underpin this expressions of endurance. These transformation. As a result, it is critical highlight subcultures that break from to examine which decisions are made an idea of indisputable progress that from the perspective of assumptions, predominates the vision of architects interests, and values. in the modern city. These are architects whose visions come from the very With respect to this, Sharon Zukin said hierarchy that created their seemingly that to discuss the city is to discuss unquestionable professional and culture and power. Therefore, whose technical perspectives, apparently city is it? Does it belong to those who immune to the social processes of live in it? Who has the right to live there? appropriation and involvement. Can we, or must we, be concerned with those excluded from the “centre”, Jane Jacobs spoke of the city as a or those who do not feel represented casual space, as a space for urban by prevailing views? We must make interaction, and as a space in which these barriers visible and readable in to weave trust. Cities depend on the order to re-present the city, thereby cultural flows that move within them. rebuilding the city as a community. This is expressed in their cultural production, but also in the images This involves seeing the city as a that emerge from this. They are space where unique perspectives live sometimes dangerous places, but together, but this fragmentation is

5 both a strength and a weakness. A city power. This helps prove that there are is a concentration of the modern world more “cultures” beyond “the culture” and all of its distinct perspectives. A without forgetting that a city also city’s symbolic nature is embodied depends on other places. Culture and by its “wandering” character: not ecology help inform the need to accept only does it stroll aimlessly, but it a city’s fragility and dependence, rather seeks other perspectives that are than envelop it. unconventional or differ from those in

CITIES AND CULTURAL POLICY Aside from the debate on whether certain level of autonomy, and places there is a need for cultural policy, like Hong Kong or Singapore with as institutional intervention on the their city-state status were sometimes creation and access of unique cultural used as prime examples. To the extent forms and expressions, the truth is that technological change combined that it is impossible to imagine a city with economic financialisation in and all of its nuances without culture, a productive system made it less in the broad sense of the word. In this necessary to have large spaces or way, a local government that wishes to attract large parts of the population, the defend the idea of a city, or to protect challenge was to achieve a high level of a set of values and ideas through its technological development in addition spaces and dynamics of activity, cannot to highly trained and creative human forgo cultural policy. Indeed, aside from capital. On the one hand, it was true safeguarding heritage and taking care that the world was becoming “flatter”, of what we would call “high enlightened or more equal in every area, but at the culture”, a programme of action should same time it was becoming “sharper” try to establish priorities, help practice (Peter Hall), and in many cases cities values that are considered essential, exemplified those competing “peaks”. redistribute costs and benefits, improve access dynamics, or recognise In this context, cultural policies individuals and groups for their different have been used, and deliberately practices. This helps show how the manipulated, to promote cities’ sense of urban cultural policies has economic potential, thus avoiding the evolved in recent years. “I have space available” argument as the only one used to attract outsiders. During the process of deindustria- The combination of a “global city” and lisation, cities whose splendour was a “city with a strong local identity” has specifically linked to the industrial helped build the idea of a “destination”. sector looked to the “cultural shift” for A “destination” is capable of offering ways to recover competitive strength, all the advantages of a well-connected, and covert abandoned spaces. An well-prepared space to accommodate “entrepreneurial city” such as this any type of business. At the same time, it sought unique strategies to ensure is a place with specific characteristics, that cities maintained their ability and its own idiosyncrasies. Culture, to contribute to the economy and commerce, training, and enterprise are compete worldwide. This demanded a distinct components that have blended

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together to break down barriers and to place cities in different categories entice new people. according to their characteristics, but also according to their own strategies. In this way, the cultural components of a city have been key factors to be Cities’ cultural policies have also considered in connecting to the rest sought to strengthen aggregations of the world and maintaining a unique or clusters of creators and cultural identity. Therefore, it is not unusual initiatives, thus facilitating structure that certain parts of the world have dynamics that help reinforce and undergone processes of industrial connect different parallel cultural restructuring and the revamping sectors. In other cases, the goal has of port areas. This has taken place been to construct new buildings or alongside investments in cultural infrastructure to serve as urban icons. infrastructure, the promotion of They managed to attract attention creative industries, artist modules, and made it possible to change urban and the establishment of office spaces trajectories that were considered and innovative commercial centres. obsolete. These other strategies, such In some cases public institutions as those focused on sports or the have had a relevant role in moving presence of a significant academic or establishing museums, thereby environment, have been used to having a positive impact on their areas showcase certain cities as global, thanks to their iconic nature. Similarly, culturally relevant spaces. initiatives have been linked to major events including the Olympic Games, The strong and thriving industry of universal exhibitions, cultural capital, tourism is also important in this etc. All this has contributed to the “cultural turn”, which shows cities as development of “city brands”, which “unique” spaces to visit, using cultural

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elements that best suit what cities investment and development. His want to project to the world. The image argument is founded on a need to that emerges tends to influence urban establish a plurality of jobs, a desirable dynamics, creating what is known as lifestyle, and opportunities for social a process of “Disneyfication”, which interaction, as well as to empower all showcases “authentic” aspects of a forms of diversity, authenticity, and a culture that cater to the tastes and significant amount of local identity. expectations of visitors. This led to the creation of a kind of instruction manual or toolbox to help In this evolution of the concept of urban each city become “creative”, but this culture and urban cultural policy, the was not easy for many aspiring places. idea of “creativity” has taken on an important role. From the perspective A number of cities around the world of knowledge and creativity, cities have have continued to build their brand and sought to clearly define themselves as profile by using unique instruments, unique by offering a solid foundation dipping into their history, unique facets, for attracting visitors while remaining and by complementing or reconfiguring different. Richard Florida spoke to this their existing strengths to improve their very clearly through his contentious image and attractive elements. In all of creation of the “creative class”. From these strategies, culture emerged as his perspective, as opposed to investing more of an economic asset rather than more in infrastructure to attract one that simply improves the capacity outside investment and generate for action of individuals and groups, development, cities should create their full inclusion in urban life, and spaces and environments that are quality of life. significantly attractive to “creators”. Their presence would be followed by At their root, these trends tend to turn

8 the city into a place with its own needs This is not to undervalue the weight that more than simply a commodity for trade. culture has today on the development They also use culture as an instrument dynamics of each city, nor to omit its for achieving that goal. Homogenising capacity to alter both urban spaces processes have not taken place and social dynamics. Indeed, it is to everywhere equally, and it is important understand that it should not prevent to see the extent to which a city’s cultural thinking in more comprehensive and policy can affect this, through a genuine democratic terms in its implementation creation of such policy based on values and objectives. We must incorporate that serve the population, and through the richness of different conceptions significant, comprehensive, and plural of culture that coexist in metropolises, implementation. However, what must and which must be recognised without be avoided is the mere subordination forgetting the cultures of daily life that of a city’s cultural strategy to the extent arise out of a city’s different coexisting that the city is deprived of its unique communities. There are different character, thereby limiting any strategic cultures, just as there are different transformation. “cities” within one city.

CULTURAL POLICY In a large city today, a cultural policy and skills? Can we imagine a cultural cannot be separated from a set of policy today, amid diversity, actions, and values that guide its objectives and strategies that does not begin with the support its practices. As a result, it is necessary recognition of all aspects necessary to politicise cultural policy. and dimensions of heterogeneity? This means accepting that some decisions will benefit some and harm If we answer “yes” to these questions, others. There is no political option in line with Agenda 21 for culture that can be left out of an unequal promoted by UCLG, we understand distribution of costs and benefits. From autonomy, equality, and diversity this perspective, any cultural policy to be ideal values which must be must consider what values it wishes to present in a cultural policy that aims promote, and what legislative goals it to contribute to social transformation wants to achieve. Therefore, it is not a processes necessary in changing question of choosing between different times. These are “intrinsic values” seemingly neutral or ideal strategies. that inform “institutional values” and Don’t we want cultural policy that which set limits on what Holden calls strengthens the capacity of inhabitants, “instrumental values”. Many of the as well as their personal and collective characteristics that shaped industrial autonomy? Do we understand that a societies, and which were involved in cultural policy cannot be separated shaping public policy in the second half from dynamics of inequality that of the 20th century, are now hopelessly continue to grow in many cities? Do we in crisis. The ideas of work, family understand that policy must therefore structure, types of social aggregation, fix problems of access to culture, and vital cycles for different ages, knowledge promote the necessary redistribution creation, and traditional intermediation of educational and cultural resources structures are all things that are

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questioned today. It seems clear that to ignore the value of culture or the cultural debate is more necessary than cultural significance of these kinds of ever in the construction of meaning projects, but we would like to imagine and perspective: a cultural debate that that it is possible to avoid strictly takes sides. That is to say, one that does utilitarian approaches, which often not avoid tackling problems caused by end up damaging the organisation and unequal distribution of resources to sustainability of intended goals. From access channels for unique cultural here, there is only one step left to a expressions. discussion of cultural rights. This is a step that must be taken to move beyond It is therefore necessary to overcome concepts like “cultural consumption”. a view of culture that limits itself to only highlighting strictly fundamental Therefore we must talk about culture perspectives. Rather, there are different and city, situating the relationship at cultural expressions that must be a certain time and place. A “situated” seen as essentially linked to the culture involves relating current dynamics of economic development, or planned actions with specific, or city promotion, such as branding, contemporary expectations and or city image. Alternatively, in this problems. Knowing that we must very fundamental or functional view consider cultural dynamics within a of culture, we should include projects specific context implies an awareness related to urban renewal dynamics, in of the effects they cause, and can which cultural initiatives like museums, continue to cause, precisely through art centres, opera theatres, festivals, the transformation of that context; in and others, are linked to long-term our case, of the city. urban planning operations. All of this does not imply that we pretend

10 CULTURAL ACTION IN A CITY LIKE BARCELONA Barcelona, like any other city, needs dissociate education from culture or cultural policy based on specific values work when we know that the cultural that aims to create links between sphere is instrumental in addressing these values, the city’s current cultural issues facing production processes actions, and the stakeholders that or new jobs requiring creativity, carry out, implement, and manage innovation, adaptability, acceptance of these actions. It is not about imposing diversity, and entrepreneurship, among values, practices, or entrenching others. We also cannot disconnect creative processes. Not at all. It is culture from health, as it is a social about the city government having determinant of health, nor from clear standard guidelines on these democracy or political engagement. practices and cultural actors. The city The latter is because of a proven is experiencing severe problems with correlation between culture and job insecurity, a crisis of legitimacy education levels and the amount that and trust in democratic institutions, people follow and become involved in debates about identity and colonisation, citizens’ responsibilities and activities. the spread of xenophobia worldwide, the effects of technological change Currently, we are in what Bauman that call many spaces, groups, and would call a time of interregnum; of jobs into question that were previously transition between two eras, and the necessary, but which are no longer so. cultural debate in any city cannot be The language and terminology that avoided. The cultural policy of a city were used throughout the 20th century government must try to have a positive to address many problems now seem impact on this scenario. It must obsolete. Today, cities are once again favour the conversion and adaptation spaces where the severity of these of existing cultural institutions, and problems demands creative and help consolidate experiences that are, innovative responses. Along with other as a whole, a part of the transition. cities, Barcelona is on the front line of Policy must also open spaces, create these issues, and its cultural policy connections, and experiment with other cannot be pushed to the sidelines. sectors, hybridising practices and arts. Instead, it should be a part of facing It must encourage the emergence of these challenges. new spaces that construct models, test new languages, and create new As mentioned above, personal practices among artists, educators, autonomy, equality, and diversity are designers, activists, or community the three clear policy parameters for spaces. building cultural policy for any city, and also for Barcelona. This is so because We must therefore ask ourselves: we cannot talk about culture without What is the significance of the cultural discussing education, health, work, dynamics supported by government? or subsistence, and individual and Which values do they reflect? How collective dignity. Very often, cultural do they connect with other policies policy hides these dilemmas and carried out by the municipality and assumes simplistic values. We cannot other social actors? How can we improve and better connect those

practices and dynamics? How does how it is to be implemented and culture contribute to making a city what area of activity it involves. less dependent, more open, and able Undoubtedly, policy must also consider to make more independent decisions to what degree an institutional role is about its future? To do this, it is vital to acceptable, which partnerships with examine what is being done, evaluate other actors are necessary, how to the results of these practices, and distinguish between the regulation, think about new dynamics that will financing, and management of each of help better assess the issue, while the actions or interventions intended facilitating a smooth and strong to be carried out. Every city has a transition. unique “cultural mix”, which blends institutional, partnership, trade, and Some of the key challenges being community roles. It is this plurality faced pertain to both the conceptual of activity that ends up establishing a aspects outlined above, which are specific, public urban cultural space. absolutely crucial to the development of any urban cultural policies, and the More and more, it is becoming clear substantive implementation of these that a change in the times cannot concepts in different sectors of activity. allow ongoing policies or procedural Of course, another challenge is the habits to continue, because while functional dynamic that involves the they may seem safe, they are growing necessary and positive plurality of the increasingly obsolete. It is not about large number of creators and cultural changing normal responses, or agents that any city houses. A public adapting them to the current crisis policy must consider the values that situation. In many cases the very it represents, which simultaneously questions themselves need to be justify its own existence, as well as reconsidered. Do museums still make

sense? What role do libraries play in the for their creative density. Culture is digital world? Does a division between an essential component in the public the specialised and creative sectors sphere. It is, and must be, a public still apply in an increasingly hybridised space. In this way, it builds the city by artistic reality? How can we include interacting and establishing dialogue ownership in open, collaborative with those representing existing power perspectives? What models of artistic structures and interests. A city is a and creative subsistence are possible physical, virtual, and symbolic space in a context of general job insecurity? for conflict and debate, and these are How do we coordinate institutional, its strengths. It has the ability to take social, and community collaboration? advantage of closeness to intensify the Should we not get over the idea of creative capacity of artistic ideas and equating the institutional with the creation whose value lies more in their public sphere? These, and many collaboration and connection than in other questions on funding, self- their competition and rivalry. government, accountability, ownership of results, and much more are realities Cities like Barcelona depend heavily in any city, and in any urban cultural on the depth of their cultural and policy that seeks to address issues in creative life, as it is expressed through our ever-changing world. unique languages, in order to maintain their adaptability and be a place with According to Sennett, cities are decent living conditions. However, this spaces for excellence in disputes depends on a city’s ability to remain and disorder, but it is precisely their more open, plural, and democratic. conflict density that forms a basis

13 CONTACTS

For more information about this article:

Institute for Culture of Barcelona (ICUB) Jaume Muñoz Jofre: [email protected] Web: www.lameva.barcelona.cat/barcelonacultura/es Tw: @bcncultura

Committee on Culture of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) Email: [email protected] Web: www.agenda21culture.net Tw: @agenda21culture

14 UCLG Committee