Why Is Culture Important In Urban Development

1. Introduction

The use of cultural activities, goods and services to enhance a city’s image, attract tourism, and promote economic development has be-come a prevailing trend not only in the renowned traditional cultural capitals of the world, but also in places not as well-known for their cultural backgrounds, such as Bilbao, Spain. Many cities have pur-sued the building of museums, cultural destinations, performing arts centers, galleries, and cultural districts, as part of wider urban devel-opment and revitalization strategies. The prevalence of cultural activ-ities in recent urban development programs makes it imperative for planners and policy makers to understand how they contribute to lo-cal economic development.

On the other hand,

Cultural activities are considered as a significant catalyst for city development due to many reasons as it plays a role in urban tourist and visitor draws, and a significant factor in how individuals choose where to live and work. Many researchers have focused on the success of specific cul-tural projects in urban regeneration. The current literature lacks, however, a discussion of how local governments in Egypt could de-velop and implement cultural strategies. Many agree that culture is important, but to what extent do cultural activities become mecha-nisms for economic development? What types of cultural activities and programs can municipal governments support? Which are the in-tended goals and benefits of these activities? How do cities desig-nate places to pursuing cultural

But it is important to identify the ap-proach in which these strategies have to be formulated according to the variables offered by the place. Grodach & Loukaitou‐Sideris (2007) have grouped cultural strategies into three models: Entrepre-neurial Strategies, Creative Class Strategies, and Progressive Strate-gies. Each strategy type is based on a normative set of characteristics including strategy goals, the types of cultural projects pursued, geo-graphic focus, and target audience. Entrepreneurial Strategies most clearly pursue a proactive, market-driven approach guided by purely economic objectives; Creative Class Strategies seek economic devel-opment through the provision of quality of life and recreational amenities; and Progressive Strategies follow a more grassroots and neighborhood-based approach to cultural development that seeks to respond more directly to the needs of local communities and arts