The application of policy for cultural clustering: Current practice in Scotland

Abstract

The arts and cultural sectors have been used by many cities in recent decades to bring about effects such as economic diversification, image enhancement, and increased social cohesion. In Scotland, such approaches have been encouraged by the Scottish Executive which has prepared a National Cultural Strategy to ensure that maximum benefit is obtained from cultural development, together with guidance for local authorities in how to implement such a strategy. An important mechanism used in Scottish cities in this context is the encouragement of cultural clustering by means of “cultural quarters”, namely areas that contain a high proportion of cultural uses and are considered appropriate for further concentration of such uses. They may involve uses related to cultural production or cultural consumption, or both, and further spatial concentration is assumed to lead to synergy, agglomeration economies and minimization of amenity loss. However, the designation of such quarters is contested. First, the notion of cultural clustering and designation of cultural quarters in principle may be questioned in terms of its contribution to urban regeneration; and second, there is contention over the optimum orientation of such quarters—for instance whether they should be oriented primarily to consumption, production or both. The cases of cultural quarters in Dundee (formally-designated) and Glasgow (informally-designated) are compared to explore these issues and to highlight conclusions for practice in the field of culture-led regeneration.