Progressive Cultural District and Sustainable Development

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Culture is assuming an increasingly strategic role for the definition of a new competitive context in the post-industrial society (Inglehart, 1998). The relationship between culture and the industrial sphere is known, but only recently culture has been seen as a form of capital (Throsby, 1999) that acquires a central role in the future development of post-industrial economies and of new competitive models (Porter, 2003). Most land use destinations, indeed, pose serious problems in terms of environmental and social sustainability. Culture play an important role in the rehabilitation of landfill or brown-field areas. Cultural planning at the local level has recently adapted the theory of industrial district approach (in terms of external economies of localization and agglomeration) under the interest of cultural dimension. The most recent results of this process is the “progressive cultural district - PCD” model. While clusters are characterized by vertical integration, where spatial concentration is ruled by the belonging to a common value chain/industry, the PCD is characteristic of the post-industrial economies, where culture tends to become the basic platform for the construction of the individual and societal capability building for the production and circulation of high intangible value added that distinguish the newest local development models (Pier Luigi Sacco, “Culture-led Urban Development Processes: Theory and Policy, ESA 2007, Luneburg). The definition of policy for local and national development focused on tangible and intangible stocks of culture capital are seen as fostering the regeneration of declined areas, promoting social cohesion, opportunity for social networking and environmental growth, boosting creativity and economy related to cultural resources.

Stream: Economic Sustainability

Paper: A paper has not yet been submitted.

Pier Luigi Sacco is full professor of political economics at the IUAV. He is author of various articles on game theory and the economics of visual arts which have been published in internationally acclaimed scientific magazines. He is a member of the editorial committee of the magazines “Etica ed Economia” and “Economia della Cultura”. He teaches economics of art in the clasAV programme and economics of theatre in the clasT programme.

Researcher in Cultural Economics, Cultural Policy, Culture and Sustainable Development. Candidate Phd at the Napier University, School of the built environment, Edinburgh.