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We all know Southampton needs an image but it also needs a extensively, by more and more people from the City and the
soul. In his book ‘The Rise of the Creative Class’ (2002) American region. Working in partnership with other organisations will bring ever
academic Richard Florida argues that in the so-called ‘new wider audiences to all of us, and will create the sort of buzz at the
economy’, companies choose their location not just because of heart of the City that Southampton has been waiting for”.
their infrastructure or running costs, but because they are exciting
and innovative enough to be able to attract the new economy
Southampton is not exactly a revolutionary in marrying culture with
workforce – the ‘creative class’.
regeneration. Many cities, from Bristol to Newcastle-Gateshead,
have received wide media coverage and recognition as
According to Prof. Florida, cities need to invest in the three Ts: in examples of culture-led regeneration.
technology, in tolerance of different cultures, and in talent, to
support the culture and creative activities taking place in the city.
Nevertheless, the latecomer can benefit from the lessons and
Cities in this respect have been very much likened to products and
experiences of other cities. Among these is the importance of
can only be sold to investors, citizens and visitors if they have a
combining local culture with the best of international culture and of
good balance between business, shopping, leisure and culture -
making cultural development relevant to everyone involved, from
and good packaging.
social organisations to companies and investors, to diverse
audiences, from students and visitors to long term residents, from
Investment in culture has for many cities created a cutting-edge,
the urban population to the suburban areas.
innovative image. Contemporary architecture has become a safe
way to achieve this. It helps cities achieve a contemporary
Felicity Harvest, Executive Director of Arts Council England, South
character and a point of difference with other cities vying for the
East, said that the arts complex “will herald a new era for the city’s
same custom. Southampton has always lagged behind other cities
culture and regeneration and support the city’s vision of making
in UK and in the region because it has lacked landmark
Southampton a centre of national excellence for arts and culture
architecture or iconic developments, such as Portsmouth’s
by 2026”.
Spinnaker Tower. This has resulted in a bland image which gets in
Surfing the wave of culture will be challenging but will give
the way of effective city marketing.
Southampton the potential to re-emerge as a major player
That said, you will not solve the problem of defining a new image
regionally and nationally.
simply by investing in culture. There has to be an overall recognition
Source:
that a city needs not just an image but an identity and cultural
Dr Roberta Comunian is lecturer in Human Geography
institutions where such issues can be debated.
at the School of Geography, University of Southampton
www.geog.soton.ac.uk
Although highly influential, Florida's ideas are also highly
controversial and have been attacked for promoting an elitist ‘top-
down’ view of culture. Sustainable regeneration can therefore only
happen if cultural activities and the workforce/artists they employ
are brought into the city’s mainstream and not left on the city’s
periphery, as is often the case. Bringing them into the centre,
physically and metaphorically, provides a wider audience and a
wider engagement with the city.
The new vision and strategy for the city, drafted by the
Southampton Partnership, has put culture at the core of local
development.
A new £14m arts complex is being funded by Southampton City
Council, the University of Southampton and SEEDA, with further
funding from the Arts Council (£5.7 million). Southampton’s new arts
complex will see Art Asia, the John Hansard Gallery, the Nuffield
Theatre and City Eye, a community filmmaking resource, housed
together under one roof, to include a 370-seat performance
space, a 130-seat production facility black-box studio, a 100 seat
multi-purpose hall, a video suite, four production suites, large
gallery spaces, a recording studio, dance studio, workshop spaces,
meeting rooms, and a café bar.
The John Hansard Gallery will become one of the biggest
temporary-exhibitions gallery of contemporary art in the UK, as part
of this new multi-purpose arts complex in Southampton city centre.
Stephen Foster, Director of The John Hansard Gallery, said “The
Gallery enjoys a fantastic reputation amongst the art world at an
international level. This project will give us the world class facilities
that such an important organisation deserves. But it will also make
sure that all of our facilities will be not only be available, but used
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