Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Seaside Cultural Renewal
Boscombe Pier, Bournemouth, Dorset. Bournemouth Borough Council architects, reopened in 2008. Photograph: Geoffrey Swaine/Rex Features, Guardian.co.uk.
The Guardian has released an article discussing the merits of cultural and artistic investment in England's impoverished seaside towns, Can art put new heart into our seaside towns?. And although Newcastle in Northen NSW could not be seen as a direct comparison - it is a city which main source of income has been mostly removed, and an economic situation that has resulted in many empty commercial spaces. Whilst the article discusses large and architecturally over the top investments, Renew Newcastle has taken a more grass roots approach and worked with the empty space directly rather than adding another possible white elephant. Clearly a top heavy cultural investment does not always best serve the artistic community despite increasing tourists.
Labels:
England,
Marcus Westbury,
Renew Newcastle,
renewal