In recent years, culture has taken on a more
instrumental meaning in cities. It now represents the ideas and practices of what has been called the 'symbolic economy', that is, the process through which wealth is created from cultural activities, including art, music, dance, crafts, museums, exhibitions, sports and creative design in various fields. This new concept of culture increasingly shapes city strategies in the face of both global competition and local tensions.
Festivals and events influence people's idea of a city. They provide many points of identification and contribute to the birth of non-mainstream urban identities. They consolidate subcultures and create togetherness among amateurs of a common field.
At their best, festivals and events culminate in a 'festival moment', creating a momentum born of dramaturgical excellence and high quality content, a powerful experience bringing together audiences, performers and organisers.
There is a desire to escape the ordinary and do something eventful among the people of a city.
Events create a lively atmosphere and a sense of place. They are making cities fashionable and ‘cool’ places to be.
Cities of today face two choices. Either they develop to meet the challenges created by the pace of global change, or they resist the impulse for transformation and stagnate.
At a time when economic systems are no longer predictable, in order to remain competitive, cities are turning to strategies that focus on their own innate resources – their histories, spaces, creative energy and talents.
Pressures of globalisation and problems caused by economic restructuring, as well as the need to establish new civic identities, have prompted cities to utilise ‘cultural’ assets and resources in an attempt to become distinctive, to regenerate the urban fabric and to create economic, social and cultural prosperity.
The creation and promotion of events such as festivals, shows, exhibitions, fairs, live music gigs, open mics, contests, stand-up comedy shows, championships, etc. have become a critical component of urban development strategy across the globe.
No city believes it is too small or too complex to enter the market of planning and producing events.
As cities have developed physically through the centuries, the conceptions of what cities are and how they function have also changed.
These ideas, or models of the city, are not just
tools for describing and analysing, but they also affect the way in which we think and feel about the city.
The different representations of the city have spawned and been shaped by public events. People have sought to use events to cohere urban society around their own vision of civic life.
As cities continue to develop further, public celebrations and events continue to have an important role in everyday life.
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