Cities across the country have leveraged the arts and cultural traditions of legacy communities to create vibrant public spaces that attract residents and visitors alike. Today Oakland, San Francisco, and San José are exploring how cultural districts can mitigate the economic and social impacts of office vacancies and reduced foot traffic in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This policy brief explores how Boston, Cleveland, Denver, and Philadelphia have pursued place-based cultural strategies to reactivate struggling neighborhoods to support businesses, create jobs, and make communities more resilient. Each of these cities has taken a unique approach to integrating arts and culture into urban development, but their experience shows that sustained funding, creative use of spaces, and cross-sector partnerships are vital to fostering vibrant communities. By investing in arts and cultural districts, Bay Area cities can not only address immediate recovery needs but also strengthen local economies and enhance the overall quality of life for residents and visitors.
To make their arts and cultural development efforts effective, Bay Area cities can:
1. Commit to consistent funding.
2. Plan for long-term community development.
3. Use underutilized spaces creatively.
4. Nurture private sector involvement.
5. Invest in public realms to strengthen cultural districts.