THE CONTRIBUTION OF CULTURE TO REGENERATION IN THE UK: A REVIEW OF EVIDENCE

Abstract

The role and impact which culture demonstrates as part of the regeneration process is celebrated universally today, with a twenty year track record of the arts’ contribution to urban regeneration. The rationales for investing in culture as part of regeneration programmes has moved over this period from the overtly economic, to culture’s potential in the social policy spheres of crime, education, inclusion, diversity, identity, health and ‘quality of life’. Despite this longevity, the actual evidence which can provide an objective assessment of the arts’ contribution to regeneration is surprisingly lacking. This is due to the absence of an acceptable measurement system and indicators which can capture and attribute social impacts to cultural elements in the regeneration process, and also due to the resistance to impact measurement within the cultural sector itself. This paper is based on a recent study undertaken for the Culture Ministry in the UK .