Culture as potentials for development?

With the conference »Culture – development potentials?« we are aiming toward several main goals. Firstly, we wish to bring to Slovenia during what is perhaps the most important cultural event in Slovenia so far, number of leading experts from the fields of cultural economics, cultural policy, cultural management and other social and human sciences which have culture as their main research objective.

Further, we wish to speak during the time of European Capital of Culture, which is an event that symbolizes the interwoven connection of culture and development of a certain city or region, about culture and development’ connections, a topic which has a rather long tradition of research findings in both cultural economics and policy analysis and number of authors and works which are perhaps not that familiar to Slovenian citizens. By that we will not suffice with “adoration” of possible development potentials of culture, we want to go ahead and question both the very concept of development itself as well as lately so proclaimed dimensions of connection of culture and other parts of society: economy, politics, science, law, education,… Can culture enhance the development of a certain region? Which dimension of development (economic, social, environmental) needs most attention? Where are the possible biggest impacts of cultural events on development and how can culture influence the development of a certain region in the utmost enhancing manner? Is the interconnection of culture and development the essence of culture or are we forgetting certain basic elements and characteristics of culture, which by their nature resist such connections? Is the creativity, which is in essence of art and culture, the enhancing factor of societal development and can it bring other activities and resources to where it takes place (as claimed by e.g. Richard Florida) or is it perhaps even the other way around? How to prevent gentrification and similar phenomena which often accompany the urban regeneration by cultural projects? How to valorize the impacts of culture on development? Are the methodologies which are available feasible at all? Is this a key aspect of culture and development connections?

Many questions which lead us by conceptualizing and organizing the event, which will include invited lectures, discussions and panels, student section, presentation of good practices as well as accompanying events, which will be organized by University of Maribor in cooperation with Public Institute Maribor 2012 and Asociacija - Slovenian association of non-governmental organizations and freelancers in the field of culture. The event will take place from 21st to 23rd September 2012 and will be hosted by University of Maribor.