overview ARTS AND CULTURE BRIEFING PAPERS 01 The role of the arts and culture in planning practice

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1 overview Rex Hodgson The role of the arts and cltre in planning practice ARTS AND CULTURE BRIEFING PAPERS 01 In this series of briefing papers, the American Planning Association as part of a collaborative project with the RMC Research Corporation and with fnding from the Rockefeller Fondation will illstrate how planners can work with partners in the arts and cltre sector and se creative strategies to achieve economic, social, environmental, and commnity goals. This overview paper provides planners and policy makers with comprehensive definitions, an overview of the arts and cltre field, and a framework for how the field s strategies can enhance and inform planning practice. The sbseqent briefing papers expand pon this introdction and explore how arts and cltre contribte specifically to: strengthening cltral vales and preserving heritage and history bilding commnity character and sense of place enhancing commnity engagement and participation enhancing economic vitality These briefing papers spport the work of contless people policy makers, planners, and economic development and commnity development professionals, as well as professionals in architectre, landscape architectre, and arts and cltre in the creation and development of healthy commnities. Prepared by the American Planning Association, as part of a collaborative project with the RMC Research Corporation and with fnding from the Rockefeller Fondation

2 Defining Arts, Cltre, and creativity The arts and cltre field encompasses the performing, visal, and fine arts, as well as applied arts inclding architectre and graphic design; crafts; film, digital media and video; hmanities and historic preservation; literatre; folklife; and other creative activities. The arts alone can be classified into 13 categories: acting, annoncing, architectre, fine art, directing, animation, dancing and choreography, design, entertainment and performance, msic and singing, photography, prodction, and writing (Gaqin 2008). Cltre can be defined as the arts as well as the intangible shared beliefs, vales, and practices of a commnity (Hoston 2007). Creativity is sometimes sed to describe the common elements of arts and cltre, bt this term encompasses other fields as well. We se the Brea of Labor Statistics definition of creativity, which encompasses the development, design, or creation of new applications, ideas, relationships, systems or prodcts, inclding artistic contribtions. As a whole, many forms of arts and cltre natrally manifest as aspects of daily hman activity (NACCCE 1999; Robinson 2007). People prse artistic and creative expression throgh a variety of otlets: formal theatrical performances, sclptres, paintings, and bildings; as well as the less formal arts, msic and food festivals, celebrations and informal cltral gatherings, pickp bands, and crafts grops. Together, these formal and informal, tangible and intangible, professional and amater artistic and cltral activities constitte a commnity s cltral assets. These activities which encompass a diverse set of locations, spaces, levels of professionalism and participation, prodcts, events, consmers, creators, and critics are essential to a commnity s well-being, economic and cltral vitality, sense of identity, and heritage. The formal, or professional, arts inclde people who are working as professional artists in arts-specific facilities, while the informal or vocational arts inclde a variety of commnity and individal activities. The locations and spaces where sch activities are held inclde professional venes sch as theaters, arenas, msems, and galleries and less formal settings sch as local commnity and recreation centers, bsinesses, libraries, clbs, parks, schools, and other local gathering places. Of corse, individal arts activities can occr anywhere and at any time; consider a choir singing in a chrch, a teenager listening to msic, and an elder teaching a traditional craft to a grandchild. People participate in arts and cltre at varying levels of skill and engagement. Participants inclde creators (from the professional actor to a child actor in a school play), consmers (from the adience member for an opera performance to the parent of the child in the school play), and spporters and critics (whether fondations, parents and school fnd-raisers, or jornalists). Some create, while others listen to, watch, teach, critiqe, or learn a cltral activity, art form, or expression. Some are professional artists, designers, and inventors, while others engage informally in expressive activities or create innovative tools, relationships, or prodcts. The field as a whole can be represented within a framework that has for main aspects: degree of professionalism, type of prodct or activity, locations and spaces, and level of participation and involvement. Table 1 otlines these dimensions.

3 Table 1. Dimensions of Arts and Cltre Degree of Professionalism Professional or Formal Vocational or Informal Creator or prodcer is recognized as artist by peers, has received advanced training in the art form, makes at least a portion of his or her living throgh artwork, or is presented or exhibited by arts-specific vene Painting, sclptre, monment, bilding, mltimedia, or other permanent or temporary physical work of art Type of Prodct or Activity Tangible Intangible Locations and Spaces Specific-prpose venes Nonarts venes Msems, theaters, galleries, commnity art centers, msic clbs, etc. Creator or prodcer is engaged in project solely for prposes of expression (e.g., ethnic, religios, personal) and enjoyment Event, performance, or gathering (temporary activity); oral history or cltral expressions passed on from generation to generation Schools, chrches, parks, commnity centers, service organizations, libraries, pblic plazas, restarants, bars, shops, bsinesses, homes, etc. Level of Participation and Involvement Creator Consmer Creator (responsible for the creation of the artistic, cltral, or creative expression) Adience member, spporter, or critic (indirectly involved or associated with the artistic or cltral activity) The arts and cltre sector is continally developing and changing. Frther, the ways in which arts and cltre activity is defined, manifested, and valed vary somewhat by locality and commnity. For example, in one locale a folklife or traditional activity sch as sail making or boat bilding may be recognized as a craft or art form, whereas the same activity elsewhere may be thoght of simply as work. Since the arts and cltre sector is intertwined with all forms of hman activity and daily life, conceptalizing it reqires a discriminative nderstanding of the roles played by different players and constitents. Of corse, those roles are not necessarily fixed. A policy maker or planner may also be a creator or adience member; an arts nonprofit organization can also be a commnity partner; and a mnicipality may be an arts fnder, a partner with cltral organizations, and an employer of arts-based strategies to meet other goals. american planning association

4 Arts and Cltre and Planning Practice Historically, planners tilized art and cltre as a commnity revitalization tool; more recently, however, planners are realizing the potential contribtions of art and cltre to other social, economic, and environmental aspects of commnity life. Arts and cltre provide a medim to: preserve, celebrate, challenge, and invent commnity identity; engage participation in civic life; inform, edcate, and learn from diverse adiences; and commnicate across demographic and socioeconomic lines. Artistic and cltral activities can be sed to engage the pblic more flly in planning practices, sch as: spporting economic development improving the bilt environment promoting stewardship of place agmenting pblic safety preserving cltral heritage and transmitting cltral vales and history bridging cltral, ethnic, and racial differences creating grop memory and identity (Jackson and Herranz 2002) Table 2 offers examples for nderstanding where and how the arts, cltre, and creativity can be integrated into the field of planning. long-range commnity visioning and goal setting plan making reviewing development and infrastrctre projects

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6 The Briefing Papers Using a variety of case stdies and examples from the planning and arts and cltre fields, these briefing papers provide a comprehensive overview of how arts and cltre contribte to: Commnity heritage and cltre Commnity character and sense of place Commnity engagement Economic vitality Commnity Heritage and Cltre A sign of a healthy commnity is its simltaneos ability to preserve and invent its cltre that is, to conserve its history and heritage and at the same time develop new expressions for crrent times. Arts and cltral activity and the leadership of artists, historians, folklorists, anthropologists, planners, and other commnity leaders play important roles in preserving the history and heritage of a place, as well as easing tensions and encoraging respect for the changing cltral landscape. Despite the importance of history and heritage, preservation is rarely seen as a potential basis for innovation and advancement. As a reslt, too often sfficient resorces are not dedicated to preserving significant meaningfl spaces and objects, docmenting stories from elders, and recording a commnity s contemporary cltral practices. Commnity Character and Sense of Place Artistic, cltral, and creative strategies help to reveal and enhance the identity the niqe meaning, vale, and character that nderlies the physical and social form of a commnity. As part of an overall strategy to explore commnity context, embrace and nrtre commnity diversity and niqeness, and bild pon and celebrate commnity character, planners can tilize artistic and cltral inventories, commnity visioning processes, design gidelines, arts and cltre programming, master plans, and pblic financial investments in rban design and placemaking. All of these elements reqire the consideration of all commnity interests in key decision-making processes; the integration of arts and cltral resorces in a contextal civic framework; and the recognition and balancing of the inherent, conflicting natre of past, present, and ftre social vales. Commnity Engagement Commnity engagement is a process of relationship bilding that encorages both learning and action, as well as the expression of opinions abot a placebased isse or program. A higher level of commnity engagement in planning offers vibrancy and innovation by strengthening the level of pblic commitment and making more perspectives available to decision makers. Both planners and commnity leaders already promote commnity engagement throgh a variety of traditional tools, inclding pblic opinion srveys, visioning workshops, asset-based planning, town halls, meetings, and pblic hearings. However, creative tools are now also being sed more and more to promote commnity engagement with planning activities and goals. The se of creative tools sch as visal-art techniqes, storytelling, festivals, exhibits, dance, spoken word, PhotoVoice, msic, performances, web-based applications and commnity gatherings emphasizes receptiveness to inpt, genine acknowledgment of feedback, easy participation, and the development of relationships.

7 Economic Vitality People are increasingly ecognizing the connection between the activity of the arts and cltre sector and the economic vitality in a neighborhood or commnity. High concentrations of creative enterprises and workers in a geographic area may provide a competitive edge by elevating a commnity s qality of life, improving its ability to attract economic activity, and creating a climate for innovation to flower. Commnities in which arts and cltre activities of all types florish are important for the recritment and retention of a skilled and edcated workforce in a city or region. The presence of arts and cltre in a specific neighborhood or commnity location can increase attention and foot traffic, bringing in visitors and attracting more development. Frthermore, formal and informal training in the arts can abet the development of skills valed in the global economy sch as strong oral and written commnication skills, precise and high-qality work performance, ease in working in teams and ensembles, comfort in new and innovative sitations, and the ability to work well with people from diverse cltres. This briefing paper was written by Kimberley Hodgson, aicp (manager, Planning and Commnity Health Research Center, American Planning Association), and Kelly Ann Beavers (PhD candidate, Virginia Tech, and American Planning Association arts and cltre intern), and edited by M. Christine Dwyer, senior vice president, RMC Research Corporation. american planning association

8 References Americans for the Arts Briefing Book Exective Smmary. National Arts Policy Rondtable. Washington, D.C.: Americans for the Arts, 12. Blair, J. M., K. D. Pijawka, et al Pblic Art in Mitigation Planning: The Experience of the Sqaw Peak Parkway in Phoenix. Jornal of the American Planning Association 64(2): Borrp, T. C Creative Commnity Bilder s Handbook: How to Transform Commnities Using Local Assets, Arts, and Cltre. St. Pal, Minn.: Fieldstone Alliance. Carr, J. H., and L. J. Servon Vernaclar Cltre and Urban Economic Development: Thinking Otside the (Big) Box. Jornal of the American Planning Association 75(1): Donegan, M., J. Drcker, et al Which Indicators Explain Metropolitan Economic Performance Best? Traditional or Creative Class. Jornal of the American Planning Association 74(2): Dwyer, M. C Information with Impact PowerPoint presentation. Available at InformationwithImpact.pdf. Gaqin, D Artists in the Workforce, Washington, D.C.: National Endowment for the Arts. Hospers, G.-J., and R. v. Dalm How to Create a Creative City? The Viewpoints of Richard Florida and Jane Jacobs. Foresight 7(4): Hoston, P Creating a Whole New World: Placing Arts and Edcation in the Center of the Flat Earth. Pp. 3 7 in Thinking Creatively and Competing Globally: The Role of the Arts in Bilding the 21st Centry American Workforce. National Arts Policy Rondtable. Washington, D.C.: Americans for the Arts. Jackson, M.-R Art and Cltre Participation at the Heart of Commnity Life. In Understanding the Arts and Creative Sector in the United States, ed. J. M. Cherbo, R. A. Stewart, and M. J. Wyszomirski. New Brnswick, N.J.: Rtgers University Press. Jackson, M.-R., and J. Herranz Cltre Conts in Commnities: A Framework for Measrement. Washington, D.C.: Urban Institte. Available at National Advisory Committee on Creative and Cltral Edcation (NACCCE) All Or Ftres: Creativity, Cltre and Edcation. Report to the Secretary of State for Edcation and Employment and the Secretary of State for Cltre, Media and Sport (U.K.), 243. Robinson, S. K The Arts and Edcation: Changing Track. Pp in Thinking Creatively and Competing Globally: The Role of the Arts in Bilding the 21st Centry American Workforce. National Arts Policy Rondtable. Washington, D.C.: Americans for the Arts. Sirayi, Mzo Cltral Planning and Urban Renewal in Soth Africa. Jornal of Arts Management Law and Society 37(4): Arts and Cltre Briefing Papers This is one in a series of briefing papers on how planners can work with partners in the arts and cltre sector and se creative strategies to achieve economic, social, environmental, and commnity goals. Please visit or website at to learn more abot this series. Copyright 2011 by the American Planning Association 205 N. Michigan Ave., Site 1200, Chicago, IL