The role of arts and culture in modern cities : making art work in Toronto and New York

Abstract

Cities throughout the world currently are exploring ways that arts and culture can serve as an economic engine, build name recognition and become a source of civic pride through a mix of policy, branding, and economic development. I examine the relationship between cultural policy and the increased presence of arts and culture on the economic development agenda in Toronto and New York during the decade of the 2000s. I hypothesize that New York is more driven by economic motivations, and that Toronto’s interest lies in the brand building aspect of arts and culture in city building. This dissertation is a comparative case study that investigates the increased presence of arts and culture in the economic development toolkits of Toronto and New York over the decade. Archival and historical data, in addition to interviews with elite actors provide a rich cache with which to answer the thesis question. Through the use of agenda setting theory, I find ways that arts and culture have been integrated into policymaking and urban planning for economic development in each city. I observe that Toronto and New York are building and facilitating cultural districts, attracting and retaining creative workers, and articulating economic arguments for arts and culture in order to generate revenues and secure government and private support. Each city underwent a shock during the early part of the decade. For Toronto, it was the endogenous shock of amalgamation, and for New York the exogenous shock of 9/11. In both cities, arts and culture were employed as a part of the economic development toolkit to revitalize decaying areas, attract residents and tourists, and distinguish themselves from other cities. I find that each urban center used arts and culture extensively to create a cultural city in the case of Toronto, and to recreate a cultural city in the case of New York. Policy recommendations include utilizing research and strategic planning, building relationships and stakeholder partnerships across policy domains and sectors, and focusing both on public good and economic benefit when integrating arts and culture into economic development interventions

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