The contribution of cultural infrastructure and events to regional development
Type
conference paper
Date Issued
2010-08-22
Author(s)
Abstract
The importance of creative industries and the creative sector for economic growth and regional development has increasingly found its way into scientific discussions. These discussions mainly focus on the influence of creative industries on the innovative ability (innovative milieu), the competitiveness and the labour market of regions and nations. Most prominent within this field is the approach of the "creative class" used to explain the success and the development of cities and regions.
So far, the terms and definitions describing creative industries and the cultural sector are not consistent and sometimes include different businesses. The meaning of the cultural sector becomes more evident when one focuses on the regional level. Infrastructure facilities and cultural events are part of the cultural sector and are located in nearly every area, in agglomerations as well as in rural areas. This paper will concentrate on the role of infrastructure facilities and cultural events, and will point out their contribution and their potential for the location itself and for regional development. The authors will use empirical data from infrastructure facilities in Germany and Switzerland (Kultur- und Kongresszentrum Luzern, Festspielhaus Baden-Baden) and two amateur theatres in Switzerland, which are located in rural areas (Einsiedler Welttheater, Landschaftstheater Ballenberg). Based on these four case examples the paper will show how differently cultural facilities and activities can contribute to several aspects of regional development. As a result the paper will state that cultural infrastructure facilities and activities have positive effects on the regional added value as well as on the image of a region, on networks and competencies within a region and on the identity of a region. These so-called intangible effects, in particular, influence the location's attractiveness and the competitiveness of the region in a positive way
So far, the terms and definitions describing creative industries and the cultural sector are not consistent and sometimes include different businesses. The meaning of the cultural sector becomes more evident when one focuses on the regional level. Infrastructure facilities and cultural events are part of the cultural sector and are located in nearly every area, in agglomerations as well as in rural areas. This paper will concentrate on the role of infrastructure facilities and cultural events, and will point out their contribution and their potential for the location itself and for regional development. The authors will use empirical data from infrastructure facilities in Germany and Switzerland (Kultur- und Kongresszentrum Luzern, Festspielhaus Baden-Baden) and two amateur theatres in Switzerland, which are located in rural areas (Einsiedler Welttheater, Landschaftstheater Ballenberg). Based on these four case examples the paper will show how differently cultural facilities and activities can contribute to several aspects of regional development. As a result the paper will state that cultural infrastructure facilities and activities have positive effects on the regional added value as well as on the image of a region, on networks and competencies within a region and on the identity of a region. These so-called intangible effects, in particular, influence the location's attractiveness and the competitiveness of the region in a positive way
Language
English
Keywords
regional development
creative industries
culture
location factor
HSG Classification
not classified
Refereed
No
Book title
Sustainable Regional Growth and Development in the Creative Knowledge Economy
Publisher
ERSA European Regional Science Association
Publisher place
Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
Start page
24
Event Title
50th Congress of the European Regional Science Association (ERSA)
Event Location
Jönköping
Event Date
19.-23.08.2010
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Eprints ID
68993
File(s)![Thumbnail Image]()
Name
ersa 2010 strauf, scherer_en_final.pdf
Size
305.6 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
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