City Planning and Culture

Cultural planning and sustainable development - four premises

I. Significant and insignificant relationships brought together in a meaningful way:

The relationships between nature (physical environment), settlement (urban pattern), economy (degree of sophistication of work), technology (logic of organization and theory of society) and culture (as reflection of society build on an economy while leaving the imagination free to explore other aspects of life) are significant to any city, region, European Union and the world. Such cultural discussion about the economy can depart from Polanyi who differentiated between primitive, archaic and modern economies. He sought to refute the claim of an economy based on the exchange principle and thereby using money as carrier of decisions as forming a society most capable of handling complexity. Rather he thought the reciprocity principle - giving to others in need without demanding something in exchange as others would take care of the needs of that individual - would let everyone practice fair and just distribution of all, including cultural resources. The latter entails qualities such as creativity and productivity, but also human understanding and a far reaching form of support linked to recognition and even love (by Freud the libido which holds together human relationships and therefore society). Consequently 'social and economic cohesion' is inconceivable without the cultural bondage starting with empathy and not ending with cultural horizons allowing people to be creative and therefore free. Cultural planning is, therefore, the art of bringing people together with their synergies contributing to the liveliness of society and thereby creating in the present through cultural actions meaningful relationships as something long lasting.

II. Creativity as a way of unfolding of both individuals and society so as to let investments in culture happen:

Planning and culture provide a potential for creativity which furthers very much needed qualifications for work and life in these times, namely ‘creativity, mobility, imagination and intuition’; so then a clarification is needed of such terms like 'creative city' or 'creative sector'. It should not be forgotten Arthur Koestler's 'Act of Creation'. He said creativity does not require the following of a strict linear path of development but rather needs 'stepping stones' to get over to the other side by creative leaps. They can be termed as well as 'intuitive guesses' into the future before deciding what to do on the basis of calculated risks. Similar to a painter proceeding or not with the color red within a certain form before leaping into another plane of expression, that was has future can be known in the present once the expression thereof become a certainty like a poem. Crucial for cultural planning is therefore to examine ways and means to allow for such investments in the arts goes with such a culture which anticipates beyond predicaments and financial constraints already in the present the outcomes of such future innovative works and actions. By letting this to happen people can unfold in their most creative core and thereby have the chance to become outstanding personalities.

III. The difference between artistic freedom and freedom of speech as prerequisite for cultural development:

Art and culture can surely unfold best under conditions of artistic freedom and in turn by ensuring the freedom of the arts. This plane of expression should not be mistaken with that of 'freedom of speech'. Martin Jay makes here the important distinction between an actor saying in a play by Shakespeare "I shall kill you" and someone saying that at street level. He wonders why so many artists nowadays participate unwillingly or not in the destruction of that other plane of artistic freedom. Consequently any political entity (city, region, European Union, world) has to maintain this distinction. Indeed the basic values of political democracy, humanity, solidarity, transparency, respect of the autonomous individual , non-violence and tolerance for others are the conditions of local and international life. Cultural planning is thereby the anticipation of what tasks lie ahead to bring about such a just and free society. Experiencing this difference between political and artistic speech (creation) it is advisable to depart from the Greek term 'metron' in order to understand what tasks lie ahead when attempting to bring about such a just society. Here cultural planning has to be indicative as to what measures can bring about sustainable development. There is confidence that culture can show what further going steps can open up the path into the future.

IV. Framework conditions for the unfolding of culture:

Cultural planning creates the framework conditions for the unfolding of the cultural and artistic life in the city and therefore has to be a complementary part of an overall conscious cultural policy at all levels: city, region, member state and Europe. These framework conditions begin with a wise use of cultural resources whereby a conscious method in that respect is for cultural planning a 'mapping' of these resources. That begins with such projects as tracing what maps each person has when living and working in a specific city. For instance, taxi drivers in Belfast have developed such a system that a Catholic Cab driver takes the taxi up to the border of a Protestant community; there he gets out and a Protestant driver gets in and continues the way with the passangers. As the case in Berlin once the Wall came down East Berlin taxi drivers had less difficulties with taking guests to the West but vice versa for years West Berlin taxi drivers avoiding if possible accepting routes into East Berlin. Alone that these maps are created through habits and specific routines (living here, working there), many people are not even aware what other resources await them if they would change the route they take daily to work and thereby create new mental maps for orientation purposes. It can be said culture enriches these 'mental maps' especially if accessibility goes hand in hand with opening doors and windows of opportunities.

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Ποιειν Και Πραττειν - create and do

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