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ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Sounds Like a Plan: Evaluating Cultural Plans

Smith, Rachel May
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1281551226

Abstract Details

2010, Master of Arts, Ohio State University, Arts Policy and Administration.
As the sun sets on the industrial age, cities all over the world are preparing themselves to be competitive in the new information age. In the United States of America, cities are eager to differentiate themselves from each other in order to attract residents, businesses and tourists. The city is expected to offer some cohesive vision of this atmosphere in order to make it attractive to tourists, residents and businesses. An increasingly popular way for a city to stay relevant is to develop a cultural plan to foster a vibrant scene. A cultural plan provides an overview of the cultural amenities that a city currently possesses, assesses the needs of the city and the community, and produces a roadmap for future cultural developments for the purpose of enriching the lives of its citizens, making the city stand out to tourists and businesses, and encouraging economic development. Cultural plans are often undertaken with different motives, varying levels of preparation and understanding, uneven implementation, and rare evaluation. There is a need for concise and compelling research on the subject that policy makers can access and utilize in their cultural planning processes. The absence of evaluative criteria and research makes it difficult to know the best way to undertake new cultural plans. Evaluation of cultural plans allows cities to determine if their plan was successful and if public resources were properly utilized. Using research done on by The Urban Institute on Cultural Vitality Indicators and the evaluation of the European Capitals of Culture program forms an analytical framework by which to evaluate cultural plans. There are many good reasons for studying the cultural planning process in the US. Strong cultural plans will benefit city economies. Cultural plans can have a positive effect on the community and on urban regeneration. It is a responsible use of public money to make cultural plans realistic and executable. Better understanding of the cultural planning process will help other cities develop plans of their own. This thesis uses data collection and analysis to understand the cultural planning processes better and inform longitudinal case studies of Austin, TX and Columbus, OH. The goal of the study is to deepen understanding of what criteria are most important to the planning process and how it can be best utilized before, during, and after the generation of a cultural plan. Clearer understanding of this information will lead to better implementation of cultural plans, a more vibrant urban environment, and a better use of public resources.
Wayne Lawson (Advisor)
Margaret Wyszomirski (Committee Member)
113 p.
Art Education
cultural plan evaluation; cultural planning; creative economy; policy evaluation

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Smith, R. M. (2010). Sounds Like a Plan: Evaluating Cultural Plans [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1281551226

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Smith, Rachel. Sounds Like a Plan: Evaluating Cultural Plans. 2010. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1281551226.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Smith, Rachel. "Sounds Like a Plan: Evaluating Cultural Plans." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1281551226

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1281551226
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© 2010, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.