Developing a City's Identity

A city needs a positive identity and image. It is all too easy for the local press in particular to publicise only the bad news and fail to mention the positive initiatives which may be underway. The City Center Manager, in conjunction with other public and private sector groups, can help to change the way a city views itself through a concerted marketing and public relations effort and public events and festivals. The result of these efforts can be felt in terms of greater civic responsibility, increased investment, and a greater willingness and ability to tackle difficult problems as they arise.

By actively promoting a strong relationship with the local media (newspapers, radio, television), the City Center Manager will often be quoted for stories and issues related to the city center. This is an ideal opportunity to start to initiate a more positive image of the city. Likewise, the City Center Manager may be aware of good news stories from within the Council that have not been recognised and can ensure that they are brought to the attention of the press. In Bath, the key facts were compiled into a brochure about what made the city an ideal place to live, work, and visit in order to better enable those who promote the city to become more aware of the city's assets.

A campaign can be developed which helps to define the image and qualities of the area. An example is the slogan 'Glasgow Miles Better', which can be seen to have dramatically changed the image of that city. Bath has established several campaigns, one entitled 'Bath Means Business' to attract new businesses, and a 'World Class Service in World Heritage City' to promote customer service levels.

Festivals and other public events can have an important impact on developing civic pride and community spirit. This is particularly important in cities where there are a large number of tourists and a relatively small local population.

It is equally important that residents take an active role in the organising and developing of events and festivals, in order to help build the sense of ownership. A well-known American authority on festivals, Prof J Mark Schuster, has been quoted as saying: Festivals must be part of the shared life of the community. Participation must he encouraged if not expected, and citizens must be actively involved in creating, conducting and maintaining the festival. If those who attend are primarily observers or consumers, a golden opportunity will have been missed. For those wishing to redevelop or indeed establish the 'civil society' that can be fostered in the best of our cities, they must pay attention to the rise of the new urban festival.

The City of Leeds has been very effective in developing an events strategy with the focus on allowing for the cultural and economic renewal of the public realm. These events have included installing over nine miles of Christmas lights, with shops staying open late each night during the Christmas season, and a Valentine's Fair (one of the largest in Europe), which runs for one week with activity each night from 6 p.m. until midnight.

Components of many festivals include a carnival procession, arts and crafts stalls, music and dance entertainment, street parties and evening activities. In some cities, festivals have developed into a sense of tradition, despite not being in existence for any length of time. It is important that festivals be organised in a manner by which they have some degree of autonomy from the local authority and yet maintain a close relationship, in order to ensure that issues are resolved rapidly and without extensive bureaucratic procedures.

Articles under this City Center Management topic have been lifted from Chapter 10- City Center Management by Kimberly Paumier, from the book: Investigating Town Planning- Changing Perspectives and Agendas, edited by Clara Greed.