Euralens : Large-Scale Cultural Investment

Euralens : Large-scale cultural investment

• Social cohesion • Tourism • Urban regional regeneration • Economic growth • Attractiveness of the territory • Entrepreneurship

Context The former mining area of Euralens was struck by the simultaneous decline in the late 1970s and early 1980s of the mining industry, the region’s main employers. The area has suffered since then from a lack of residential attractiveness, a high unemployment rate (15.8%), and low living standards (the average net taxable income is 25% lower than the national level). The region, ridden with economic difficulties, was chosen to host the first decentralised building of the prestigious Louvre Museum, back in 2004. Inspired by the “Guggenheim effect” in Bilbao, the Nord–Pas de Calais Region has sought to develop its own strategy on an even larger scale. Euralens Association was officially set up in 2009 to coordinate and energise the regional rejuvenation ambition. In 2012, Euralens benefitted from the impact of two key milestones: the Louvre-Lens Museum (a.k.a. the Louvre-Lens) opened its doors in December, and Euralens area bassin minier was recognised as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. This large-scale initiative is not an isolated one. The region has also invested in other culture-led development projects such as the regional Capitals of Culture (Dunkerque 2013 and Maubeuge 2015), a decentralised branch of the “Institut du Monde Arabe” in Tourcoing (2011), and the implementation of the “Pôle numerique culturel” in conjunction with the Louvre-Lens initiative.

Challenges The core challenge for the Louvre-Lens was a large-scale renewal of an area suffering from a lack of attractiveness and a high unemployment rate. Local appropriation was a clear challenge, especially since the image of the Louvre Museum did not necessarily fit in well with a strong local identity. As the president of the Louvre put it in 2009, “Associating Louvre with Lens sparks a potentially explosive conflict”. Setting up the right territorial dynamics was therefore a key challenge to achieving significant and sustainable impacts. Euralens Project In the Euralens Project, culture is a powerful engine for both human development and economic competitiveness. The reinvention of Euralens territory combines a complete regional framework of initiatives with an embedded local approach, led by Euralens Association. Amongst the most remarkable projects are Louvre-Lens and the digital cultural cluster of Louvre Lens Vallée.

The digital cultural cluster of Lens (Louvre Lens Vallée) is another core project to stimulate local dynamics around the museum. It aims at creating a common ecosystem of economic, cultural, research, education and training actors to facilitate access to cultural heritage through digital technologies. The cluster seeks to increase the digitisation of artworks in order to preserve art and cultural heritage. Finally, © Euralens.org digital solutions are promoted to support tourism and cultural mediation for heritage. In 2014, a call for proposals called “Start-up du Numérique Culturel” awarded up to €50,000 to six creative businesses that develop cross-cutting projects in the fields of e-books, e-learning, cultural mediation and e-tourism. Strategic vision

The redevelopment of Euralens area is strongly in- tertwined with regional strategic priorities embodied in the regional economic development plan. In fact, the region has been heavily involved in the process leading to the launch of Louvre-Lens and is a found- ing member of Euralens Association. The region © Euralens / Charles Delcourt 2012 considers culture an economic vector, enabling the establishment of innovative companies and the The establishment of the Louvre-Lens was conceived involvement of highly educated professionals in its as a catalyst for social transformation across development. This vision is embodied in two main Euralens territory. Euralens Association was set up policy documents: before the opening of the museum to ensure local take-up of this very ambitious project, which is not • the tourism and economy strategy, promoting only a museum but the starting point for reinventing inter alia urban regeneration to make the most of Euralens territory and changing mindsets. Through a the region’s industrial past; highly participatory approach, Euralens Association • the regional Smart Specialisation Strategy, whose gathers 70 local actors (public authorities, business 6 development priorities include “digital image and civic associations) to play a key role in ensuring and creative industries”. local businesses and citizens follow through on the initial public push, by becoming agents of this The development of a digital cultural cluster, Louvre territorial change. It organises meetings in which local Lens Vallée, is one of the key actions at regional stakeholders propose projects and other initiatives to level, along with the development of the regional rejuvenate the territory. The association is in a way audiovisual cluster called PICTANOVO. The latter the engine driving the generation of new ideas and coordinates ambitious local rejuvenation projects projects. It is also about exchanging knowledge. A that have become hotspots for creative businesses, “Collective Intelligence Platform” was set up in 2012 such as the “Plaine Images” in Lille, the “Serres to monitor the impacts of the Louvre-Lens and local Numériques” in Valenciennes and the “Creative Mine” initiatives. in Wallers-Arenberg (opening this year). Impact Given the large-scale investment represented by the museum, a close monitoring of impacts was performed in partnership between INSEE (national institute for statistics) and the Collective Intelligence Platform. The first year after its opening, the Louvre- Lens has welcomed 900,000 visitors, half of whom come from the Nord-Pas de Calais Region (and 16% from the Euralens territory), which means that the local anchoring of the museum is quite strong, given the international nature of the Louvre-Lens. © Euralens.org It was estimated that the museum generated €42 Budget and financing million and created 400 jobs. In terms of image, 67% of visitors now have a better opinion of the region and The initial investment in the Louvre-Lens was €150 close to 2,000 publications on Louvre-Lens (including million (60% from the Nord-Pas de Calais Region, 20% 768 international ones) have been released. from European funding, 6% from the Pas-de-Calais Department, 6% from Communauté d’agglomération Beyond these figures, the dynamics of the Louvre- de Lens-Liévin and the city of Lens, 5% from private Lens has contributed to the rebranding process of donors and 4% from the state). the territory. It has helped change the mindset of the population and stirred a feeling of collective pride In 2013, the annual budget amounted to €15.5 and belonging for 60% of the local population. A great million (80% from the Nord-Pas de Calais Region, majority of residents consider that the territorial 10% from the Pas-de-Calais Department, 10% from dynamics activated by the Louvre-Lens facilitates Communauté d’agglomération de Lens-Liévin). It is access to culture (and a third declares to be more however a bit early to assess how the budget will interested in cultural sites since its opening). Students stabilise over time, and how the balance between also foresee their future in the region in a more funders will evolve. positive way since the museum’s establishment.

© Euralens / Sébastien Jarry 2014 © Euralens 2014 Transferability Tips The key bottleneck to implementing the project What made the project possible was the was garnering local support, as the project could strong involvement of the region and initially seem foreign to Euralens territory. In order municipal authorities of Euralens territory. to overcome this issue, a co-creation approach was needed and Euralens Association played a key role in The whole project was inspired by facilitating this. international benchmarking (Bilbao, Liverpool, Pennsylvania and the Ruhr reconversion), which lent credibility to the project and inspired some local dynamics. Bringing in external expertise had a strong added value but only when it complemented local skills and knowledge. Local actors should be given a chance to contribute to shaping the future of their territory. Long-term planning and participatory debates allowed for consensus-building among local actors. A strong focus on incubating and developing projects and ideas rather than tools and instruments is essential to jumpstarting local dynamics.

Sustainability Management level and partners The growing involvement of the local population The project’s main manager, Euralens Association ensures sustainable development of the initiative. is composed of four people and granted a budget of Initial scepticism has vanished and the co-creation about €500,000 per year. The Louvre-Lens itself has approach is now rooted in the working methods a staff of around 175 people. of Euralens Association. In addition, building sustainable tourism infrastructure is part of the More important, the Nord-Pas de Calais Region ongoing development of the ecosystem (hotels, has been well-established in the project since the transport, cultural and creative businesses). In terms beginning, as have been the municipalities of Euralens of funding, commitments have been that cover the territory (such as Lens, Liévin, Loos). Through next five years at the very least. Euralens Association, local businesses and citizens are also getting involved in smaller-scale projects.

Links : Contact : www.euralens.org Gilles Pette, Director of Euralens www.louvrelens.fr [email protected]