Culture

1
Culture Urban Development

• Presentation to the Ministry of Culture and the
  Business and Economic Development Cluster Policy
  Secretariat
• January 20, 2003

2
Culture Urban Development
Culture A Primary Resource for the Information
Economy
In the Industrial Economy, culture was a frill.
In the Information Economy, it is raw material
for information workers. An essential experience,
a place to discover new knowledge and to create
new meanings. That is why "culture" can be said
to attract business to a city.
3
Culture Urban Development
Culture Residential Schools A Living
Downtown
The main new markets for living downtown are
"empty nesters" and young professionals. Young
professionals become young families. To stay
downtown, they need good schools. Empty nesters
participate in lifelong learning. They too need
good schools. Museums, art galleries and
theatres are resources for schools and for
lifelong learning.
4
Culture Urban Development
A Thriving Not-for-Profit Sector Sustainable
Cities
The for-profit sector moves in and out of cities
as modes of production and means of
transportation change. The not-for-profit sector
makes location decisions on the basis of
community benefit. The not-for-profit sector
is primarily knowledge-workers. Knowledge-workers
need to "rub shoulders" to stay smart. Thus,
cornerstones of urban vitality include
universities, research/teaching hospitals,
cultural institutions and industries,
research institutes, and a dynamic
government/public sector.
5
Culture Urban Development

• Density of urban life is essential to
  knowledge-based economies not less is more
  but more is more
• Labour Market
• Technology
• Information
• Communications
• Tourism

6
Culture Urban Development

• The role of culture in building the more is
  more urban environment is profound if not
  determining.

7
Culture Urban Development

• For cities to attract creative people and to keep
  them they need to provide
• Civil Society
• Public Realm
• Diversity
• Cocktail shaker of cultures

Palais de Tokyo, Paris
8
Culture Urban Development

• Civil Society
• Community in which there is a high level of
  social capital indicated by the capacity of
  people to work together to solve problems.

9
Culture Urban Development

• Public Realm
• The parts of urban areas either public or
  private that are available (free) to everyone
  and accessible to all.

10
Culture Urban Development

• How Toronto Measures up on the Florida Scale

CMSA / CMA Population Talent Melting Pot / Mosaic Index Bohemian Index Tech Pole Index
New York 18,087,251 9 6 2 5
Chicago 8,065,633 13 12 19 8
San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, CA 6,253,311 3 5 6 1
Toronto 4,263,757 24 1 4 15
Boston 4,171,643 2 13 12 4
11
Culture Urban Development

• Toronto the LORD Scale

City Number of Museums Number of Museums reporting 100,000 visitors
New York 149 40
Toronto 67 4
Chicago 56 19
San Francisco 43 13
Boston 31 12
12
From the New York Times, 1999
13
How Museums Build Communities
Museums and Cultural Institutions Reinforce a
Sense of Place
A "sense of place" is fundamentalto identity and
community building. Canadian communities
have been singularly successful in North America
in sustaining a sense of place. Museums are
repositories of memory. Cultural institutions
transform experience into meaning.
The Power Plant, Harbourfront, Toronto
14
How Museums Build Communities
Museums Increase Downtown Activity
Museums attract peak numbers of visitors on
daytime weekends which are periods when offices
are empty. Higher attendance museums and sports
events enhance activity downtown, creating a
sense of safety and providing amenities such as
retail and food services and washrooms.
Weekend crowds in and out of Tate Modern, London
15
How Museums Build Communities
Museums Enhance the Convention Market
The convention market is stronger for
citieswhere there is a lot to see and do. When
they are close to hotels and convention
facilities, museums are places to visit and also
for special functions and memorable events.
Yerba Buena Arts District surrounds San
Franciscos Convention Center Credit
www..mistersf.com
16
How Museums Build Communities
Museums Attract Suburban and Regional Audiences
One or more great museums downtown may overcome
suchincreasingly common comments from suburban
residents as "I only go downtown to work" or "I
never go downtown there's not much to do
there." This is especially important
for attracting visiting friends and relatives.
Urbis, Museum of the City, Manchester
17
How Museums Build Communities
Museums Can be a Visitor Destination
A great museum in an architecturally significant
building can be a national/international
attraction and brand a city.
The Lowry, Salford, England
18
How Museums Build Communities
Museums Can Create Meaningful Connections
between Urban and Natural Life
Museums - especially zoos, botanical gardens,
natural history museums and arboreta remind us
of our essential relationship with the natural
environment.