Bohemia as Subculture; “Bohemia” as Industry

Abstract

Artists have long been thought of as agents of revitalization, transforming warehouses and blighted neighborhoods into bohemian enclaves that become destinations for the well-heeled, simultaneously bringing redevelopment and reinvestment. Yet, the active cultivation of art as a central part of economic development is new. The increasing shift in economic development focused on attracting people not smokestacks has brought art and culture center-stage. This article considers the arts in economic development through several discrete but interrelated lenses: 1) As an amenity or consumption product 2) As a redevelopment and development tool 3) As a way to “brand” place 4) As generator of jobs and revenue. Finally, I consider current research that begins to unpack the social and economic processes necessary to cultural production. This line of research may enable a better understanding of the arts' function and potential in economic development.