Policymakers have long recognised the potential of culture and the creative economy to drive prosperity and support redevelopment projects. But increasingly, they are discovering the value of culture as a driver of social progress and wellbeing, at a time of dramatic societal change.
UNESCO’s 2022 culture conference, MONDIACULT, signalled a new international wave of cultural appreciation, with culture affirmed by all 150 participating states as a “global public good”. Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General, enthused: “Through culture, people can discover their common humanity and become free and enlightened citizens.”
That is not to downplay the economic heft of cultural and creative industries which, as MONDIACULT highlighted, generate annual revenues of US$2.25tn. They are a valuable driver of jobs and economic growth. Yet around the world, policymakers are realising that thinking about culture primarily in economic terms risks overlooking its wider role in society – including in efforts to meet the world’s most pressing challenges, such as climate change, social equality and digital transformation.
Culture fuels social progress
“In the last few years, countries across Africa and the global South have been carving out their own turf in the global creative economy – but also in the global market of ideas,” says Mike van Graan, a playwright and former President of the African Cultural Policy Network (ACPN).
Van Graan argues that culture shapes the discussion of complex social and political questions. A Norwegian company recently commissioned him to write a play about migration and refugees from an African perspective. For example, on average, Africans can travel without having to apply for a visa to about a third of the number of countries that European citizens can travel to, limiting their ability to participate in the international labour market. A theatre group, meanwhile, toured South Africa before its recent general election, encouraging people to vote through satirical entertainment. “It’s a way of raising debate about the things people need to think about when they go to the polls,” says Van Graan.
Culture shapes identity – on a global stage
Some policymakers also recognise that the creative arts can help reshape the understanding and recognition of a community or city – even a nation.
Dr Hye-Kyung Lee, Professor of Cultural Policy at King’s College London, describes this as a form of “soft power”. Many countries such as Japan have been highly effective in nurturing their cultural heritage and projecting a brand to contemporary global audiences, says Lee. But the stand-out example she highlights is her native South Korea.
Recent South Korean government policy has supported the development of creative talent, from global K-pop sensations to award-winning film and television such as Parasite and Squid Game. This is not only an economic success story, but also a diplomatic one. “Successful Korean cultural products not only effectively promote the nation on the global stage but also increase global cultural diversity,” says Lee.
Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) has this principle front of mind as it redevelops the northwestern region with a 7,000-year history of consistent human habitation. Cultural master planners are uncovering AlUla’s deep cultural heritage and creating a thriving arts and creative industries sector, both to enable the social and economic development of the local community and to encourage a deeper, more three-dimensional understanding of Saudi society and culture.
“As cultural master planners, we have an incredible opportunity to help the world understand a place’s authentic identity,” says Kate Hall-Tipping, RCU’s Culture Sector Planning Executive Director. “This is a part of the world that people know so little about. There is an opportunity to show the world that AlUla has always been a place of cultural exchange, to improve understanding of the history and culture of this region.”
Culture creates a conversation
AlUla was once a crossroads on the ancient ‘Incense Road’, a meeting point for different cultures as trading caravans traversed the desert. Today, AlUla is once again becoming a site for cultural exchange and a meeting point for artists, educating global audiences about the storied history of the Arabian Peninsula and contemporary Saudi society.
Partnerships with leading global institutions, such as Paris’s Pompidou Centre, have supported RCU’s mission to educate, inform, and change perceptions of AlUla. “We've had curators from major museums around the world who are fascinated to come here, because they know so little about this part of North Arabia,” reflects Hall-Tipping.
Another flourishing partnership is with the Italian city of Matera. Matera’s officials have shared insights into the successful revitalisation of its old town, helping to shape the revival of the historic centre of AlUla. The benefits are significant, says Hall-Tipping: “Matera is a great example of the positive social and cultural impact that redevelopment projects can deliver, beyond narrow economic benefits.” Practical insights from the Italian town have helped inform the approach taken at AlUla. “A similar community-led approach is central to the plans to revitalise AlUla,” she adds.
Hall-Tipping believes the power of a contemporary cultural landscape rooted in ancient civilizations can help AlUla to carve out a distinctive place on the global cultural map, attracting visitors from far and wide. Where RCU is leading with vision and innovation, others look certain to follow – wherever they are in the world.