International Workshop

CLUSTERS, DISTRICTS, AND NETWORKS
OF TANGIBLE, INTANGIBLE AND MATERIAL CULTURAL HERITAGE IN THE NON-EU MEDITERRANEAN COUNTRIES

19 -20 November 2004

TURIN, ITALY

Organised by

University of Turin, Department of Economics, EBLA CENTER
University of Cassino, Department of Economics
University of Catanzaro, Department of Public Organisation

General Informations

The workshop aims at comparing experiences, institutions and policies of different Countries concerning the use of Cultural Heritage as an asset for the economic development. The workshop will focus upon:

• Networks of museums, archaeological, monumental and historical sites.

• Clusters and districts of small and medium sized enterprises producing culture-based goods in many ranges of activity: jewellery, textile, rugs and carpets, apparel, leather, ceramics, tiles and pottery, glass and woodworks, etc.

Sessions

The workshop will be structured in three sessions (more details below):

1.                  Institutions and institutional rules for the governance of networks, clusters and districts of cultural heritage in the non-EU Mediterranean Countries.

2.                  Economic and institutional analysis of significant cases of cultural districts, cultural networks, and cultural clusters in the non-EU Mediterranean Countries.

3.                  Goals and tools of public action and the design of cultural policies for the economic development of local cultural systems in the non-EU Mediterranean Countries.

Call for papers guidelines

1) Identifying Information

• Please include the following information:

•  Presentation title

• Names of all authors with affiliations

• Contact person

• Contact's address

• Contact's telephone and fax numbers

• Contact's email address

2) The Abstract
A 300-500 words single-spaced abstract should include:

• Title

• Names of all authors with affiliations

• Subject, methods, analysis and main results..

An email will be sent to the designated contact person indicating that the submission was received. Questions may be addressed to walter.santagata@unito.it

Travel Grants

A number of travel grants will be offered to participants giving a paper. Our aim is to encourage greater participation among those who might not otherwise have the opportunity to attend.

Meeting Location

The meeting and the accommodation will be in Villa Gualino, Turin. Villa Gualino is located on the lower slopes of the hills overlooking the city of  Turin on the southern bank of the Po river, about 10 minutes by car or bus from the main railroad station and Turin's major commercial arteries. 

(Details on accommodation and transportation options will appear soon)

Sessions

Session 1. Institutions and institutional rules for the governance of networks, clusters and districts of cultural heritage in the non-EU Mediterranean Countries.

In order to define guidelines for cultural economic sustainable development policies, the main characteristics defining the  institutional  framework of governance in which cultural policy management is embedded seems essential.

Papers on the following topics are welcome:

•  influence of local tradition and customs on cultural institutions: how and to what extent religious and other relevant institutions affect cultural policies in shaping the use or influencing the management of cultural activities and heritage;

• analysis of the institutional framework in which cultural policy management is embedded: central organisations (Government, Ministries of culture, finance, tourism, education, environment) Departments of Antiquities, regional and local authorities, semi-governmental and non-governmental organisations, local public and private actors that have responsibilities for administration, safeguarding, and management of historical and cultural assets  (e.g. architectural sites and handicraft activities);

• inquiry on the degree of centralisation/decentralisation of cultural policy-making: local government involvement and role of regional and municipal authorities;

• the role played by the institutional framework of governance in the capacity building process of the cultural sector at various level;

• rules governing the decision-making process in cultural institutions: analysis of regulation sources (constitutional law, ordinary law, local regulation, traditions and customs);

• property rights and their role in the cultural sector productive processes.
  

Session 2. Economic and institutional analysis of significant cases of cultural districts, cultural networks, and cultural clusters in the non-EU Mediterranean Countries.

The production of culture is indissolubly linked to a place, to a community and its history. Culture represents an accumulated capital asset which is embedded in the production of material and tangible /intangible culture-based goods and services. This production takes on new economic significance when it takes the form of, and is governed in the logic of industrial districts, since it creates a path to economic growth by means of growth of small and medium-sized firms which are intensely integrated within the territory and in the local community.

The industrial cultural districts are then defined by the production of site specific goods, based on creativity, culture and intellectual property, following the formula which led to the international success in the 60's and 70's of the small and medium sized enterprises in the Italian experience. Industrial cultural districts belong to the endogenous growth models based on the presence of small firms, and of specific forms or social local regulation.

In particular, Session 2 will focus upon economic and institutional analysis of:

• significant examples of clusters of localized firms, producing culture-based and tradition-based goods;

• renowned cases of networks and clusters of archeological and historical sites, museums, and performing arts organisations (theatres, festivals);

• skills formation processes;

• assignment and management of collective intellectual property rights and uses of symbolic values in the localized productions;

• interaction of cultural resources with tourism system and economic development;

• vertical integration between archaeological sites and the production and retailing of art and craft merchandise;

• managerial innovation in museums, archeological sites, cultural networks and clusters of firms;

• improvement of cultural products quality.
  

Session 3. Goals and tools of public action and the design of cultural policies for the economic development of local cultural systems in the non-EU Mediterranean Countries.

Public action in the cultural sector has been traditionally developed along two main directions: the former is the direct public management of cultural institutions which are part of the State’s bureaucracy (both at central and sub-central levels); the latter is an extensive system of lump-sum grants given to private non profit cultural institutions following expert evaluation.

The emerging paradigm where cultural products are conceived and generated within a specific territorial framework requires a new philosophy of public action in support of culture, along with the redesign of goals, tools, mechanisms and criteria for a range of financial and in-kind forms of support.

In particular, session 3 will focus upon:

• the identification of public goals with reference to the relationships occurring between cultural production and community welfare, with specific reference to clusters and districts and the controversial mix between cultural and economic goals;

• the definition of the inter-jurisdictional framework of public support of culture, with specific reference to cultural clusters and districts and the individual firms and institutions producing art objects, cultural (material and immaterial) goods, performing arts;

• the design of evaluation mechanisms in order to verify the correspondence between cultural action and public goals;

• the measurement and evaluation of the economic and social impact of cultural production occurring in clusters and districts, with reference to both residents’ welfare and tourist satisfaction;

• the design of fiscal systems, including taxes, charges and prices, in order to take into account both the increase of costs generated by tourist flows and the increase in benefits generated by cultural consumption with respect to local communities;

• the design of criteria and mechanisms for setting the composition of public expenditure in support of cultural production, and the identification of their incentive power, along with feasible monitoring and sanctioning systems;

• the identification of possible incentives in order to encourage financial support on the part of private companies and institutions, and the analysis of the desired mix between public and private funding of cultural production;

• the analysis of sustainability in cultural production occurring in clusters and districts, along with the identification of the likely trade-off between economic growth and cultural identity;

• the analysis of public action with reference to local capacity building and the value of human capital involved in cultural production.