The intuitive connections between global cities of finance and global cities of art have been repeatedly asserted. However, systematic analyses of how both geographies conjoin in major cities remain thin on the ground. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the geographical intersections between renderings of global cities as key sites for the coordination and accumulation of global capital and visions of these cities as international art hubs. To this end, we develop a 'global arts centre' (GAC) index in which cities are assessed in terms of their centrality in 'field-configuring events', such as festivals, biennials and fairs. This GAC ranking and a number of art sector-specific disaggregations are then compared with the 'global financial centre' (GFC) index established by Z/Yen Group by means of correlation analysis. Cities featuring in both rankings are labelled 'global cultural cities' (GCCs). We find that the parallels between both indices within the top-tier rank positions are considerable. The rank correlation between the art and finance indices suggests a clear positive association between both. Most GCCs are located in Europe, Pacific Asia and Northern America. The most notable geographical pattern is the prominent presence of GCCs in Pacific Asia, suggesting the rapidly changing economic environment in this region has complemented interest and investments in high-end art. We conclude the paper by singling out some key research agendas that may further inform the empirical analysis presented in this paper.

Arts and culture are facilitators in fields such as social cohesion, education, or well-being. But to implement these effects into urban development road maps, the patterns and demands of local cultural infrastructures first have to be specified. Such basic work is the perfect starting point for arts professionals and artists to become part of comprehensive urban planning processes. This issue of Arts Management Quarterly sheds light on the impact that arts and culture can have on urban development.

There is an affinity between the dynamics of the art world and the dynamics of the city. The arts are used by policy makers, businesses and communities to position their cities, so as to attract investments, visitors and skilled workers. And in turn the city is conducive for artists to practice and sell their craft. The symbiotic and intertwined relations between the city and the arts have led Jean Baudrillard, a philosopher well regarded by art theorists and critics, to consider art a ‘conspiracy’ (Baudrillard and Lotringer, 2005). He was angry with the exploitation of the arts for non-art purposes. He took a skeptical and critical view of the arts, and was peeved that the arts have become more about big business and extravagant shows organized by multinational corporations. He was similarly angered that these profit-focused art activities demand to be treated with reverence and awe. Society’s relationship with the arts has evolved over the centuries (Boll, 2011; Cuno, 2006; Edwards, 1999; Ivey, 2008; Weintraub, 2003). Art is now about more than aesthetics and beauty, it is also about politics, business and society. The art world thrives in the urban milieu and, at the same time, the art world is incorporated into city-making and urban development policies. The art city evolves from a mixture of policy, circumstances and deliberate promotion. This chapter looks at this mixture.

This report is based a half-day gathering of thirty-five practitioners and researchers that took place on September 12, 2013, at Downtown Art's East Village studio. Downtown Art is a member of Fourth Arts Block, a nonprofit coalition of cultural and community groups that lead the development of the East 4th Street Cultural District, the only official cultural district in Manhattan. This gathering was convened by Naturally Occurring Cultural Districts -- New York (NOCD-NY), a citywide alliance of artists, activists, creative manufacturers, and policy makers committed to revitalizing New York City "from the neighborhood up." Through presentations, questions, and dialogue, participants learned about the structural inequities that exist in cities and philanthropy and gained deeper insight into the power of neighborhood cultural clusters as sources of community health and resilience.The exchange grew out of NOCD-NY's initial explorations around a collaborative research ...

Despite extensive research on the role arts districts play in the economic development of cities, little is known about the dynamics of social interactions within those districts and their impact on society. Drawing on 26 interviews with actors and stakeholders of arts districts in Ljubljana, this paper explores the role of arts districts in creating a just city. Four dimensions of such districts, which represent the meaningful themes that emerged from the data, are examined. The first dimension is the interrelationship of artists, cultural workers and activists. The second dimension encompasses mutual support and forms of self-governance, whereas the third dimension investigates the role arts districts play in the neighbourhood. The fourth dimension seeks to define the role of arts districts as part of urban development generally driven by capital. The results show that arts districts are important in the struggle for the right to the city. Actors from these districts are committed...