Capital of Culture 2008: Capital of Culture 2008: contested narratives of contested narratives of

development and identitydevelopment and identity

Steve Little,Steve Little,Centre for InnovationCentre for Innovation

Knowledge and Enterprise,Knowledge and Enterprise,Open University Business School, U.KOpen University Business School, U.K.

www.stephenelittle.comwww.stephenelittle.comwww.design-and-determination.comwww.design-and-determination.com

Liverpool as contested symbol:Liverpool as contested symbol:creativity and declinecreativity and decline

• EU Priority One fundingEU Priority One funding• Music and MilitancyMusic and Militancy• 1980s Militant council1980s Militant council

– Radical cityRadical city– Unstable base for conventional leftUnstable base for conventional left

• Conflicting associations of accentConflicting associations of accent– Call centres – goodCall centres – good– Business – badBusiness – bad– TV drama - stereotypical TV drama - stereotypical

villain/scallyvillain/scally

Liverpool as Cross-roads: Liverpool as Cross-roads: Cultural and PhysicalCultural and Physical

• Atlantic Port and Triangular Atlantic Port and Triangular TradeTrade– Former track of imperial trade and Former track of imperial trade and

migrationmigration– First generation multiculturalismFirst generation multiculturalism

• Europe’s oldest ChinatownEurope’s oldest Chinatown• Welsh streetsWelsh streets

• Newer tracks across an Newer tracks across an expanded Europeexpanded Europe

• New node for low-cost air New node for low-cost air traveltravel

Liverpool’08Liverpool’08

• Local government support of Local government support of landmark eventlandmark event– Change of image for outsiders & Change of image for outsiders &

encouragement of investmentencouragement of investment– Change of self-perception for residentsChange of self-perception for residents

• Private SectorPrivate Sector– Cue to unlock a land-bankCue to unlock a land-bank– Physical development agendaPhysical development agenda

Picket and Unemployed CentrePicket and Unemployed Centre

• Association with “old politics”Association with “old politics”

• ““Student other” within a trade union Student other” within a trade union milieumilieu

• Loss of purpose for host organisationLoss of purpose for host organisation

Saving the PicketSaving the Picket• www.savethepicket.com set up

• www.savethepicket.com/legacy.html

A legacy of resistanceA legacy of resistance

• Bailey, C. (2006) ‘The Liverpool Dockworkers' Strike 1995-9 and Bailey, C. (2006) ‘The Liverpool Dockworkers' Strike 1995-9 and the Internet’ paper presented at Int. Conf. on Global Companies the Internet’ paper presented at Int. Conf. on Global Companies - Global Unions, Global Research - Global Campaigns, Cornell - Global Unions, Global Research - Global Campaigns, Cornell Global Labor Institute, New York, February 2006Global Labor Institute, New York, February 2006

• Carter et al (2003) Carter et al (2003) Carter, C., Clegg, S., Hogan, J. and Carter, C., Clegg, S., Hogan, J. and Kornberger, M. (2003), The Polyphonic Spree: The Case of the Kornberger, M. (2003), The Polyphonic Spree: The Case of the Liverpool Dockers, Liverpool Dockers, Industrial Relations JournalIndustrial Relations Journal, 34:4 , 34:4

• Castree, N (2000) ‘Geographic Scale and Grassroots Castree, N (2000) ‘Geographic Scale and Grassroots Internationalism: The Liverpool Dock Dispute, 1995-98’, Internationalism: The Liverpool Dock Dispute, 1995-98’, Economic GeographyEconomic Geography, 76 (3), 272-92., 76 (3), 272-92.

• Routledge, P (2003) ‘Convergence space: process geographies Routledge, P (2003) ‘Convergence space: process geographies of grassroots globalization networks’ of grassroots globalization networks’ Transactions of the Transactions of the Institute of British GeographersInstitute of British Geographers 28 (3), 333-349. 28 (3), 333-349.

Relocation, RelocationRelocation, Relocation

• Opportunity through creation of the Opportunity through creation of the Independent DistrictIndependent District

• Web-site bridges between old and newWeb-site bridges between old and new

• New web-based resourcesNew web-based resources– support for on-line bookingssupport for on-line bookings– links to performerslinks to performers– e-space for supporters and patronse-space for supporters and patrons

Building a Brand PortfolioBuilding a Brand Portfolio• Liverpool BiennialLiverpool Biennial

• A FoundationA Foundation

• Independent DistrictIndependent District

What’s in a Name ?

• Independent DistrictIndependent District

• Baltic TriangleBaltic Triangle

• Waterfront Business Park, Liverpool 1Waterfront Business Park, Liverpool 1

Leveraging Creativity

• Florida R. (2002) Florida R. (2002) The Rise of the Creative Class: And The Rise of the Creative Class: And How It's Transforming Work, Leisure Community and How It's Transforming Work, Leisure Community and Everyday Life s Everyday Life s New York: Basic BooksNew York: Basic Books

• Florida R. (2005) Florida R. (2005) The Flight of the Creative Class: the The Flight of the Creative Class: the new global competition for talentnew global competition for talent New York: New York: HarperCollinsHarperCollins

• Markusen A. and King D. (2003) Markusen A. and King D. (2003) The Artistic Dividend: The Artistic Dividend: the arts’ hidden contributions to regional development the arts’ hidden contributions to regional development Minneapolis: Humphrey Institute of Public AffairsMinneapolis: Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs

• Peck J. (2005)‘Struggling with the Creative Class Peck J. (2005)‘Struggling with the Creative Class International Journal of Urban and Regional Research 29 International Journal of Urban and Regional Research 29 (4) 740-770(4) 740-770

Contested progress towards ‘08Contested progress towards ‘08

• June 2006: “Archergate”June 2006: “Archergate”Resignation of Robyn Archer, Artistic DirectorResignation of Robyn Archer, Artistic Director– mistrust of “outsider”mistrust of “outsider”– Complaints of ”top-down” approach to cultureComplaints of ”top-down” approach to culture– Demands for more emphasis on local componentsDemands for more emphasis on local components

and activitiesand activities

• October 2006:October 2006:Concerns over impacts of developmentConcerns over impacts of development– Inspection of world heritage waterfrontInspection of world heritage waterfront

• September 2007: Re-engagement with local identitySeptember 2007: Re-engagement with local identity– Phil (Brookside) RedmondPhil (Brookside) Redmond– Ringo and Paul plus contemporary musiciansRingo and Paul plus contemporary musicians

Working things outWorking things out

Summing UpSumming Up

• StoryStory– Unintended consequences of a real-estate driven agendaUnintended consequences of a real-estate driven agenda

• Lesson so farLesson so far– Grass roots sustained through new technologiesGrass roots sustained through new technologies

• Initial surveys report positive impactsInitial surveys report positive impacts– £800m increase£800m increase– 15million visits to cultural venues and events15million visits to cultural venues and events– 3.5million first-time visitors3.5million first-time visitors

QuestionsQuestions

• Is this an inevitable trajectory for landmark events?Is this an inevitable trajectory for landmark events?– London 2012 pressure on associated legacy developmentsLondon 2012 pressure on associated legacy developments– National culture funding reduced National culture funding reduced

• What will be the final balance between large scale What will be the final balance between large scale projects and small-scale activityprojects and small-scale activity– Is there a bigger role for grass roots and micro-enterprise Is there a bigger role for grass roots and micro-enterprise

approaches in a global downturn?approaches in a global downturn?

• Will there be a sustained shift in perceptionWill there be a sustained shift in perception– Internal and external?Internal and external?– Example - Expo’88 in Brisbane, AustraliaExample - Expo’88 in Brisbane, Australia

• www.savethepicket.com

• www.myspace.com/picketliverpool

• icliverpool.icnetwork.co.ukicliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk

• www.design-and-determination.comwww.design-and-determination.com