Artists and Cultural Entrepreneurs as a resource for rural development

Background and Objective

It is often argued that cultural entrepreneurs as well as creative professionals provide important impulses for regional development processes. On the one hand, it is assumed, they contribute to growth through creative and innovative entrepreneurship. On the other hand, arts and culture can have a unifying and revitalizing effect in local development processes. At the same time, cultural entrepreneurs are said to have a special preference for urban centers, and in fact their share in rural areas is on average lower than in urban areas. However, if rural areas succeed in motivating cultural entrepreneurs to move to the area or to keep them there, they could also benefit from the possible development impulses. After all, rural areas open up opportunities and potential for cultural entrepreneurs as well as for creative entrepreneurship. For example, rents are lower not only for residential space, but also for studios and exhibition space. In addition, the remoteness of some rural regions can mean creative freedom.

The aim of the research project is therefore to explore the context-specific artistic-entrepreneurial practices of cultural entrepreneurs in rural areas and to understand how and under which conditions they can contribute to regional development.

Approach

Within the framework of the project, case studies will be conducted in a total of three rural districts in Lower Saxony and Brandenburg. In the study regions, cultural entrepreneurs as well as their local networks (for example, associations or local groups but also ‘Hubs’ such as galleries or shared studios, etc.) will be studied. The project uses a broad repertoire of qualitative methods (narrative interviews, participatory observations, group discussions and expert interviews). In addition, quantitative data on the regional structure of the cultural and creative industries will be evaluated.

Our Research Questions

• How do cultural entrepreneurs in rural areas tap into new markets?
• What do the artistic-entrepreneurial practices of, for example, network development or market development of cultural entrepreneurs in rural areas look like? What is the role of physical proximity within the local rural setting and the connection to 'creative centers'? What role do digital media play in networking and marketing practices?
• To what extent are the artistic-entrepreneurial practices of cultural entrepreneurs linked to the socio-materiality of their rural environment in particular?
• What role do art and culture professionals play in rural development? What impulses and resources do they bring to regional development, if any, and what opportunities and ways are there, from the perspective of regional development, to involve artists and cultural workers in regional development processes?