Thinking Spatially in Cultural Policy

Abstract

This book is an investigation of the arts in American cities and analyzes how cultural policy studies scholars and policymakers have been thinking about this connection. In particular, I look at the urban cultural policy discourse through the lens of space, unpacking how academia and cities’ administrations have accounted for and acted upon the geographic configuration of the arts and their spatial relations. This chapter provides an overview of the debate within which this examination takes place starting with an illustration of cultural policy research and urban policy studies focused on the creative city. After the contextualization of the discussion, this chapter structures the theoretical framework of the book that aims to contribute to the debate using the lens of thirdspace to help think spatially about urban cultural policy. The chapter concludes with an overview of the book that describes the intended audience, the overall organization I begin my exploration of the connection between arts and place with the concept of cultural planning structure of each chapter.