Arts district

The arts districts indicate the central districts of the American big cities revitalized by a policy which aims at attracting the cultural artists and institutions. In 2005, more than 100 cities in the United States have a art district .

History

After the Second world war, the American downtown areas are emptied of their easy and average population white. This one moves in suburbs (the Suburb S ) and leaves the central districts with the poorest populations and the ethnic minorities. The downtown areas quickly become Ghetto S where misery and violence reign. Since the years 1980-1990, the municipalities encourage the return of the middle-classes and easy in the downtown area by various means: tax incentives for the companies, Restoration of the buildings, security, establishment of cultural institutions and artists. These last means found the policy of the art districts .

By attracting artists and “Sore”, the cities count on an domino effect: the image of the improving district, the hotels, the restaurants, the coffees will open and the tourists will return. The evening, the downtown areas will remain attended. This policy is supported by the Federal state which, via the ministry for the Trade ( Economic Development Administration ), grants subsidies. Other financial aids come from the local level, the federate States and the municipalities.

Results

The results are unequal according to the cities: the creation of art districts functions well with Houston and Fort Worth with the Texas. The model is also conclusive with Phoenix, Denver and Memphis. It is more difficult to implement in the cities close to the Big lakes like Cleveland or Detroit, or in the cities mainly black (Newark, Atlanta).

The policy of the art districts is in addition criticized for his effects on the poorest populations: those are forced to leave the district because of the increase of the rents. Others denounce the gentrification and the Gentrification which accompany the social changes.

The communities of district take artistic and educational matter initiatives. They are at the base of the policy of the art districts which consists in revitalizing the central districts or difficult by the culture. The culture is generally the fact of “private” institutions (with funds not coming from public budget and which are not directed by civils servant) but having a statute of non-profit organization and missions of general interest. The cultural institutions such as the museums, the theaters, the symphony orchestras, the libraries are able to escape the constraints of the market. The communities are privileged places of creation of independent subcultures; they are organized in the Community Development Corporations created under Jimmy Carter and which receive assistances (in particular Fondation S) and are given tax exemptions. By their cultural and educational programs, their choral societies, the Churches animate the difficult districts. One estimates that 2,5 million people left the ghettos between 1990 and 2000, partly thanks to the communities of districts.

Some recent examples

Los Angeles

One has attended for a few years a great rebirth of the downtown area. In the years 1970, one raised Gratte-ciel in this district, which was emptied as of the closing of the offices. At the beginning of the 21e century, the municipality decides to transform the downtown , in co-operation with private institutions. The objectives are to diversify the functions of the downtown area, to revalorize the inheritance and to create public spaces. It is a question of developing the places dedicated to the entertainment and the culture, of forming a Art district , of attracting the population and the tourists, of reinforcing the importance of Los Angeles and its center compared to the vast agglomeration which does not have any really any more. The ambition is to set up a " true downtown area for Los Angeles ".

For that, many projects were born, in particular on the axis of Large the Avenue which should be completed in 2009 and cost 1,8 billion dollar, that the mayor wants to transform into Fields-Élysées west coast. A program of restoration was born for Broadway (old cinemas of the Inter-war period) and for new lofts on Spring Street. The central library, set up in the Années 1920 in style Art Déco was rehabilitated. New buildings left ground: the Walt Disney Concert Hall signed Frank Gehry (2003), the building of MTA, the Notre-Dame cathedral of the angels conceived by Rafael Moneo (2002). The concentration of cultural institutions (museum of contemporary art, the Colburn School Performing Arts ) must give again interest for the downtown area. The results of this policy of reconquest of the downtown area are looked with attention by the town planners of the whole world: much Angelins chooses to return to live in the center where more than 10.000 allotments are currently in construction. The urban redensification and the creation of new parks thus will change the face of the city from here a few years. However, Grand Avenue is rather attended by the middle-classes or rich person, and is favourable with the Gentrification, while the ghettos always exist.

Chicago

Dallas

Saint-Louis

See too

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