Abstract

PAREJA-EASTAWAY, Montserrat. Building a creative Barcelona: new actors, new strategies. Finisterra [online]. 2010, n.90, pp.133-152. ISSN 0430-5027.

Barcelona is under the international spotlight. The city that triumphed with the organisation of the Olympic Games in 1992 now wants to become a 21^st Century creative city. In order to achieve this goal, the city must establish conditions that facilitate the emergence of a shared discourse around its ability to become an attractive city for creative talent and for businesses. The recognition of the historical-economic heritage, as a starting point for the creative city, along with the driving role played by culture in the generation of a exclusive and distinctive experience, turn Barcelona into a unique city. However, this is not sufficient. The participation and involvement of all the actors in a shared strategy pose significant challenges to Barcelona, as does the need to minimise the negative effects that inevitably accompany success. Companies, institutions and citizens constitute the city’s best assets: they must work in partnership and take advantage of the synergies generated amongst them. Consensus and participation are more than mere utopias in Barcelona: they have become requirements for the city of tomorrow. Moreover, leadership in Barcelona is largely left to public initiative: the emergence of linkages across the needs of the various creative sectors, based on public intervention mechanisms is the best way to ensure success.

Keywords : Barcelona; creative city; urban pathways; public leadership; “hard”; “soft” and “network” localisation factors.

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