Broadening the public sphere through creative shadow planning

Abstract

Cultural policies have become an important segment of strategic city planning and cultural interventions have assumed the role of flagship projects within the urban regeneration schemes. The shift from the old consumption-oriented model to production-oriented cultural policies is linked to the rise of the paradigm of "creative city", with creativity as a decisive driver of attractiveness. But, if carefully analyzed, this paradigm clearly shows some evident paradoxes. In fact, the so called "creative milieu" cannot simply be pinned down in a ghetto or in bureaucratic regulations. How can urban planning and development – which are primarily oriented towards imposing and regulating – be expected to come up with an effective response to something like the fostering of creative milieus? The article suggests a possible contaminative (and tentative) path towards a more effective involvement of cultural activities within planning practices moving from a concept of art as experience. On the other hand, the case-study, which is at the basis of the conclusive findings, clearly shows the hardships in leading these highly experimental practices within a unique model, also highlighting the limits in terms of innovation of the so-called "best practices" as a methodology in urban studies.