Learning to belong? ‘Culture’ and ‘place making’ among children and young people in Hull, UK City of Culture 2017

Josef Ploner,Lisa Jones

doi:10.1080/14733285.2019.1634245

Abstract

ABSTRACTDespite the rise of ‘child-friendly cities’ internationally, and a growing interest in youth engagement in urban planning, the role of children and young people in culture-led regeneration and ‘place making’ schemes, remains under-researched. Notwithstanding the wealth of research into childhood and youth cultures, little is known about the ways in which the abstract (and perhaps predominantly ‘adult’) notions of ‘culture’ and ‘place’ are negotiated by younger citizens. Drawing on participative research with schools across Hull, the UK City of Culture 2017, this contribution explores children’s and young people’s understandings of culture and place within this cultural regeneration event. Although our findings suggest that the City of Culture designation has brought benefits to children and young people in a marginalised city, there is still much to be learned from their often personal and informal interpretations of ‘place’ and ‘culture’, as well as the role played by schools in this context.

Highlights

Despite the rise of ‘child-friendly cities’ internationally, and a growing interest in youth engagement in urban planning, the role of children and young people in culture-led regeneration and ‘place making’ schemes, remains under-researched
In this article, we set out to explore what children and young people perceive ‘culture’ to be within the culture-led urban regeneration project of Hull UK counterpart ‘City of Culture’ (UKCoC) 2017, and how these perceptions impact on their sense of place and belonging
Going beyond dominant utilitarian conceptions of culture as an ‘economic driving force’ in regenerative urban planning, and trying to challenge some existing myth around youth ‘dis/engagement’, our findings reveal a complex array of ways in which children and young people interpret and utilise ‘culture’ and ‘place’

Summary

Introduction

Despite the rise of ‘child-friendly cities’ internationally, and a growing interest in youth engagement in urban planning, the role of children and young people in culture-led regeneration and ‘place making’ schemes, remains under-researched. Our findings suggest that the City of Culture designation has brought benefits to children and young people in a marginalised city, there is still much to be learned from their often personal and informal interpretations of ‘place’ and ‘culture’, as well as the role played by schools in this context Despite these positive changes, and a long-standing interest in the creative potentials of urban childhood and youth cultures (Dillabough & Kennelly 2010; Woodman & Bennett 2015), little is still known what ‘culture’ means to children and young people, in the context of culture-led urban regeneration. As for marginalised cities in search for transformation, place making has become an apt strategy that works both inwardly, for fostering feelings of local pride, identity and sense of belonging, as well as outwardly, in the context of city marketing (Pollock & Paddison 2014)

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Conclusion