Creative cultural cluster

Abstract

In UNESCO’s framework for cultural statistics (UNESCO, 2009), different industries are classified in domains connecting culture to creative industries. As explained ‘Creative Industries’ by John Hawkins (Howkins, 2013) and ‘Creative Cities’ by Charles Landry (Landry, The Creative City: A Toolkit for Urban Innovators, 2012), innovation and urban development go hand in hand. To benefit from social and creative capital, countries like Singapore focused on policies to improve infrastructure, develop networks of institutions and contribute to knowledge with technology for cluster development (Gwee, 2009). These arenot limited to science and technology fields but have expanded into arts and culture fields too, examples like M50 area in Shanghai prove that these ‘microspaces’ in urban fabric too contribute to urban regeneration (O’Connor & Xin, 2016). The cultural aspect was promoted by UN in SDGs. Recently, in World Urban Forum 10 (WUF10) the concept of connecting innovation to culture to create ‘Cities of Opportunities’ was discussed (WUF, 2020). With the need of competing in a global city race, countries are trying to focus on harnessing the intangible capital of tacit knowledge. The Culture 21 UCLG committee also emphasize in their ‘Culture 2030 Indicators’ (DUXBURY, HOSAGRAHAR, & PASCUAL, 2019) upon development of the cities capturing culture. Ganeshotsav; considered to be a ‘Mega-festival’ (Megafestivals: Ganapati, 2011), started in 1893 in the city of Pune known as cultural capital of State of Maharashtra. Public celebration at spaces which become event spaces for congregation of masses has an impact over socio-economic and political domains both spatially and functionally. All these spaces can be seen as a ‘Cluster’ in the city. The study focuses on the festival as intangible heritage and from its purview; the existing and emerging potentials for local development in Pune city, strengthening of network of institutions and contributes to the tacit knowledge that adds value to the culture itself. The study aims to assess possibilities to integrate the festival culture in master plan of Pune city for sustainable development. Keywords: Culture, Intangible Heritage, Creative Sector, Cluster, Sustainable Development, Planning Innovation, Urban Planning