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| Id | 213 | |
| Author | Bianchini, F., ; Tommarchi, E., ; Hansen, L., E. | |
| Title | Problematising the question of participation in Capitals of Culture | |
| Reference | Tommarchi, E., Hansen, L. E., & Bianchini, F. (2018). Problematising the question of participation in Capitals of Culture. Participations: Journal of Audience & Reception Studies, 15(2), 154-169. |
Link to article | https://participations.org/Volume%2015/Issue%202/10.pdf |
| Abstract | Participation is increasingly a common feature in both Capital and City of Culture (CoC) programmes such as European Capitals of Culture (ECoC) and UK Cities of Culture (UKCoC). Since the mid-1990s and in particular in the last decade, many ECoCs have been displaying an emphasis on audience development and cultural engagement, impacting both on the balance of their cultural programming and on the design of specific projects and events with the aim of engaging local communities. This development that seems to be putting participation at the centre of both ECoCs and UKCoCs, at least at rhetorical level, is the motivation behind this Themed Section of Participations. Why has it become increasingly important and how is participation understood and practiced in the different local versions of CoCs? And how can participation in CoCs be understood in the context of both a broad societal participatory turn and a narrower participatory turn in cultural policy and in the practices of cultural institutions? This Themed Section does not give a simple and conclusive answer to these questions, but it offers partial, case-based examples and can be seen as the first step towards a better understanding of why, how and to what extent CoCs are participatory. In this editorial introduction, we map the landscape in which the specific cases presented in the articles are positioned. We look at the emergence and development of the agenda of participation in mainly the ECoC scheme and we identify some of the challenges that future research needs to address. |
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| There is nonetheless a growing recognition of the links between cultural participation and individual wellbeing (see for instance Galloway, 2006; Clift, 2012; Tavano Blessi et al., 2014 and 2016) and for example of the fact that engaging in cultural activity may have positive outcomes in dealing with e.g. anxiety and depression. . | In this case it deals with encouraging individual creativity, through the involvement of local people in community arts projects where they are enabled to express themselves and develop their cultural skills, and through co-creation of cultural contents and projects, based on open calls and micro-funding schemes. . | In this phase of the ECoC programme, the social dimension of the event that emerged in the previous phase was strengthened and developed, for example with regard to the connection between culture and wellbeing and the active involvement of local communities in the production of culture and in the design of cultural events, in particular through the introduction and development of concepts of co-creation. . | By examining examples of current, previous and future Capitals and Cities of Culture and by addressing both the challenges and the potential of participatory approaches, it attempts to make a significant contribution to the area of research. . | Several events pursued audience engagement and community involvement, in many cases celebrating local history. . | Based on this broader approach, the positive impacts of cultural participation on residents perception of their city (Impacts 08, 2010a, 2010b), as well as on individual wellbeing, self-esteem, local pride, and willingness to engage has been documented (Culture, Place and Policy Institute, 2018). . | In this context, participation becomes a means to pursue new forms of social and cultural impacts. . | Recent ECoCs have aimed at widening cultural engagement and enhancing participation, in order to encourage social cohesion. . | The challenges addressed through participation, whether this is building new audiences or influencing decision making, or fostering civic engagement, all depend on long-term efforts. . | Comparative efforts would put different experiences in conversation, allowing more critical interpretations to emerge and encouraging theory building. . | Firstly, participation may mean engagement in cultural events, intended as audience engagement by spectators. . | In some cases, active participation is seen to have contributed to citizens political awareness and engagement, as in the case of Maribor 2012 (ili-Fier and Erjavec, 2017). . |
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