METHODOLOGICAL GUIDE FOR THE ELABORATION OF STRATEGIC CULTURAL
PLANS IN MEDIUM-SIZED CITIES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION
2. OBJECTIVES FOR THE DEFINITION OF A CULTURAL STRATEGY FOR MEDIUM-SIZED CITIES
2.1. Global Objectives
2.2. Interest and Opportunity
2.3. Specific Objectives
3. STRATEGIC CULTURAL PLANS
3.1. Opportunity to elaborate Strategic cultural plans
3.2. Developing a strategy of cultural intervention in Medium-Sized Cities
3.3. Methodological Principles
3.4. Organic Structure
3.5. Elaboration Process
4. CULTURAL INTERVENTION IN THE MECINE NETWORK CITIES – CONTRIBUTIONS AND RESULTS OF
STRATCULT
4.1. Description of the developed Projects
4.2. Major contribution domains
4.3. Contribution contents
4.4. Global evaluation of Stratcult
ANNEXE I – Survey of the Cities’ Cultural Life
ANNEXE II – Developed Projects (see annexes IV, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X and XI of this Final
Report)
ANNEXE III – Glossary
1
1. INTRODUCTION
The STRATCULT Project, presented by the MECINE Network to the European Community in
1996 within the scope of the “Inter-regional Co-operation for Culturally-Oriented Economic
Development” initiative, was one of the 40 projects approved by the Commission.
The project consisted of combining a methodological study with two Pilot-Projects as a
means of encouraging interaction between theory and practice. The goal of the interaction was
to use the Pilot-Projects to test the theoretical orientations established in the methodological
study and to incorporate the results of these tests and the problems encountered in practice
into the theoretical orientations .
The methodological study consisted of the development of a Guide for the Elaboration of
Strategic cultural plans for Medium-Sized European Cities, which was based on the
exchange of information between six of the cities that make up the Mecine network. These cities
were Évora in Portugal, Lamia in Greece, Linkoping in Sweden, Roskilde in Denmark,
Speyer in Germany and Tarragona in Spain.
The Pilot-Projects, both conducted in cities included in the Objective 1 category of regions, were
the following:

The revitalization and renewal of an urban city block in Évora based on the creation of
a Museological Nucleus of Metrology, a revitalising tool for cultural and social life that
produces economic benefits in the area involved;

The creation of a workshop specializing in the manufacture of traditional Greek
instruments in Lamia combined with research into Hellenic music and the staging of
performances.
Throughout Stratcult’s two-year period of activity that began in 1997, many changes took place.
Some critical issues and constraints were encountered along the way and thus affected the
initially made assumptions.

The following critical points and constraints were encountered:
The diverging culturally-related concepts and terminology currently employed in the
different countries of the European Union. A long period of time was spent defining common
content that would be agreeable to all the participants, the result of which was the annexed
glossary (Annexe III);

A fundamental difference between the northern and southern countries of the European
Union concerning methods of political and administrative organization, particularly with
2
respect to planning. In the northern countries the planning concept is institutionally shared
through sector commissions or councils where people are represented organically. In the
southern countries, cities have an administrative organization with less participation, which
give the locally elected entities more concentrated direct responsibility. This reality led to the
study and presentation of various organic structures for the elaboration of Strategic cultural
plans, so that each system could apply the one that best befitted it.

The calendar for the development of the works was also a constraint. The works were to
have begun at the start of 1997, thus allowing the Pilot-Projects to be subjected to two
interventions in the Summer period – an important time to test street animation and
dynamics. However, Stratcult was only launched in mid 1997. The restoration works needed
to create the museological nucleus (Évora) and the workshop (Lamia) were only completed
in 1998. Therefore, in practical terms, the interactivity between the theoretical study and the
Pilot-Projects was seriously compromised, as it was not possible to put into practice the
second animation phase in which new orientations based on the results from the first phase
would be introduced.
Inter-regional co-operation projects, usually contain factors that are impossible to dominate from
the outset, thus resulting in dynamics with unforeseeable results. An example would be the
fusion of several small municipalities in the city of Lamia (Greece), which not only altered the
city’s ability to develop its own Strategic Cultural Plan, but also led to a change in the political
composition of the municipal leadership. This alteration took valuable time away from the PilotProject and led to a six-month standstill.
Nevertheless, small problems are in most cases overshadowed by very positive evolutionary
aspects that lead to an in-depth study of the advantages of co-operation to the benefit of the
concerned parties. In the present case, the project’s evolution resulted in the execution of:

Four strategic cultural plans, all of them with specific characteristics, namely:

A plan for the city of Linkoping (Sweden), whose territorial incidence encompassed
the surrounding region;

A subgroup plan of
the Global Development Strategy for the city of Speyer
(Germany);

A specific plan for the city of Évora (Portugal);

A specific plan for a cultural intervention sub-group – young people — implemented
by the city of Roskilde (Denmark).

Three small cultural animation projects, namely in the cities of Linkoping, Roskilde and
Speyer, the basic contents of which are described in an annexe to the present document
3
(Annexe II).
Initial expectations were greatly surpassed by the final results. The scope of the present project
goes far beyond the creation of the Guide for the Elaboration of Strategic cultural plans in
Medium-Sized European Cities, which will be discussed below. The project set in motion a
series of studies and initiatives that will mark the future of each of the cities involved.
4
2. OBJECTIVES FOR THE DEFINITION OF A CULTURAL STRATEGY FOR MEDIUM-SIZED CITIES
2.1. Global Objectives
The European Union Treaty established economic and social cohesion as a primary objective in
unifying Europe and broadened the scope of interventions to include cultural domains. It stands
as a turning point in EU policies, given that it allowed culture to be fully integrated into local and
urban development as it never had been before.
In effect, both in terms of increasing access to cultural assets and in terms of strengthening and
projecting European historical heritage values, culture has gained visibility as a determining
factor in helping to ensure the adhesion of public opinion to the European ideal (N1).
These orientations include the activity of the EU’s institutions and, more specifically, the
formalization of support for the development of innovative actions that promote a common
cultural legacy and heritage. Its formulation also denotes recognition of the role that culture
plays in promoting economic growth, the perception of this contribution to the economy, and
more particularly, its contribution to the fight against unemployment.
It is within this context, in terms of Article 10 of the FEDER Regulation (1995/1999), that the
second Programme for Inter-regional Co-operation and Innovative Actions for Regional
Development was introduced. It is implemented in the Inter-Regional Co-operation PilotProjects for Culturally-Oriented Economic Development. Below the proposed framework of
Stratcult in respect of Global Objectives:
Stratcult’s Global Objectives

Maximise the benefits of networking, promote the exchange of experience and the transfer
of know-how;

Jointly discuss the cultural particularities of Medium-Sized Cities and the role of the cultural
sector in their economic and social development;

Develop test cases involving the integration of culturally-related problems with local
development, namely with respect to job creation.
2.2. Interest and Opportunity
The MECINE Network’s endeavour to define a cultural strategy for Medium-Sized Cities
(MSC’s) is part of the political, social and economic panorama that has progressively been
affirming itself in the heart of the European Community, thus generating a need to discuss two
points:
5
A – The increasing importance of medium-sized cities, together with a new concept of their
territory and the role they have to play, ultimately resulting in a need to identify their specific
qualities and to maximise their advantages over large cities.
B –The significant change in the inherent definition of Culture and the ways of
incorporating this new reality into development policies has led to the need to transform
Culture into a transversal component of development and a central element in the building
of Europe.
The cities that comprise the Network are all European and medium-sized. This fact has cultural
repercussions as it creates both new opportunities and new threats. In this context, and within
the specific framework of the Stratcult Project, it was deemed pertinent to combine cultural
aspects with socio-economic aspects. Research was conducted to help find means of
maximizing the contribution of culture to the local development of these cities, particularly in
respect of the following needs:

The need to promote urban revitalization as a catalyst for renewing the city’s physical and
environmental structures, its tourist attractions, investment, job creation and improving the
city’s image;

The need to reinforce social cohesion and solidarity based on the consolidation of a city
culture that promotes the construction and defence of a collective interest;

The need to territorially market each city as a means of affirming cultural identity vis-à-vis
large European cities;

The need to reduce the risk involved in decision-making related to institutional cooperation and partnership in the hopes of increasing investment effectiveness and efficiency
within and between cities.
2.3. The Project’s Specific Objectives
The Stratcult Project was created to study some of the MECINE Network cities and foster
experimentation. Its final product was the Methodological Guide for the Elaboration of Strategic
cultural plans for Medium-Sized Cities. The Project’s aim was to help the cities involved identify
an integration strategy that would incorporate cultural heritage, contemporary creation,
recreation and leisure, and/or social intervention into the cultural component of their local
development, all within the framework of each city’s particular capabilities and political options.
Above all, the Project served as a means of reflecting upon the issues at hand. It also promoted
discussion involving the concept of “sustainable culture and development” with the ultimate goal
6
of combining the efforts of the political decision makers, the technical experts, the agents
involved, the staff workers and the city residents.
The need to ponder these questions determined which Specific Objectives needed to be
reached during the elaboration of the Project, as described below:
Specific Objectives of Stratcult

Identify problems, challenges and guidelines for cultural intervention in Medium-Sized Cities;

Determine the cultural sector’s contribution to the promotion of social cohesion, citizenship and
local sustainability;

Define models to organise and mobilise the actors involved in the implementation of cultural
strategies within Medium-Sized Cities.

Contribute to the discussion surrounding the options of Medium-Sized Cities in respect of the
region they are situated in;

Investigate and systemise financing models that help increase cultural investment.
7
3. STRATEGIC CULTURAL PLANS
3.1. Opportunity to elaborate Strategic cultural plans
As never before, the cultural sector is beginning to play a crucial role in the evolution of
harmonious societies. It currently faces a very pressing challenge: economic globalization
which consists of the need to convert two diverging realities into a single integrated system with
a consequent tendency towards a standardization of cultural norms and values versus cultural
diversity and the desire to affirm specific cultural identities.
MSC´s possess a set of characteristics that make them particularly weak in some areas and
especially strong in others. It is precisely with regard to culture, in its broadest sense, that these
cities can maximise their assets and become integration territories, particularly for those
social groups that are most vulnerable.
MSC’s possess, in effect, particularly favourable
conditions for the development of policies that help attenuate the conflict that results from the
cultural confrontation currently facing urban environments.
We cannot ignore, however, that such cities currently face innumerable obstacles with regard to
culture. These obstacles derive, essentially, from the small scale of their markets. This factor
strongly limits the internal capacity for cultural creation and production in the face of ever
increasing demand. The question of market size is also inherently linked to the recurring central
question of financing, that is, although public decision-making bodies and the private sector are
becoming increasingly conscious of the cultural sector’s contribution to the economy, the
returns from cultural investment have up to now been slow and indirect, a fact that has limited
initiatives for investment in the sector.
Given the current background, there is an increasing need for MSC’s to define cultural
strategies that will address the above-mentioned needs on a global scale within the scope of the
World Commission for Culture and Development (N2):
Strategic planning has become the preferred conceptual and methodological framework for
dealing with the strong dynamics of the geo-political, social, cultural, technological, and
administrative structure that has in the past largely influenced the development of urban policies
and which has been responsible for all the major changes that have occurred.
8
These changes can be summarised as follows:

Awareness of the contribution of the cultural sector to local development. The
growing economic impact of the cultural market on the local economies has placed the
cultural sector on equal footing with
other production factors that influence urban
development policies.

Decentralization of jurisdictions in the cultural domain. Although not all countries are
faced with this issue, there is a need to optimise the sector’s management and strengthen
co-operation between public and private agents.

Culture as a social health factor. The protection and promotion of cultural identities and
expressions along with that of inter-cultural dialogue have become essential aspects of a
democratic and pluralistic society.

Growing competitiveness between cities. The need to attract investment requires cities
to affirm and promote themselves. Consequently, the cities’ decision-makers have had to
employ more sophisticated territorial marketing tools.

Incorporation of new communication technologies. The major changes in the
communications sector requires management of new information in order to maximise its
contribution to local and urban development policies.

Growing demand for administrative transparency. The current consolidation of
democratic governments requires the participation of civilians in administrative decisions,
particularly with regard to medium-sized cities.
The renewal of traditional planning tools and the research surrounding local cultural policy
measures has led to new tools of methodological focusing and analysis, such as the
Strategic cultural plans (SCP).
9
3.2. Cultural intervention strategy for Medium-Sized Cities
In recent years, the strategic planning concept (N3), traditionally used in corporate areas, has
been applied with increasing success to cities as an instrument of analysis and decisionmaking. This application is found both within the scope of global development and within the
more specific spheres of a city’s activity, such as urban management, economic management,
cultural management, etc..
Up until very recently, culture was attributed a secondary role in terms of strategic development
options. For a long time it was thought that culture was not amenable to generating economic
benefits. Culture has been considered almost exclusively a “service rendered to the population”.
Its
importance
as
a
fundamental
element
in
the
processes
of
territorial
affirmation/projection and socio-economic transformation has been undervalued, namely
with respect to job creation. As this way of thinking becomes less prevalent, the importance of
culture within city life has continued to grow and has subsequently justified the application of a
strategic management tool .
The consciousness of culture’s growing protagonism as a transversal component of local and
urban development has stimulated numerous debates and has been at the source of a vast
array of publications on the current and future state of cultural development.
A survey (Annexe I) on the cities included in the Network was carried out within the scope of
this Project. It complemented the available information on the profile of cultural life in mediumsized cities.
The specific objectives of this Methodological Guide led to the systemization of the most
important cultural contributions listed within a framework of theoretical reference in a manner
suitable to the definition of a cultural intervention strategy for MSC´s.
The table below illustrates the most relevant aspects of the analysis made regarding the
cultural sector of medium-sized cities. It constitutes an important methodological contribution
that serves as a guide to the elaboration of Strategic cultural plans in MSC´s.
It is also a means of familiarising users with a common terminology and language, thus
guaranteeing the conceptual and methodological conditions required for this type of endeavour.
The description of the operative concepts used here and throughout the entire plan
formulation phase (presented in Annexe III) is essential to the proper interpretation and
implementation of this guide.
10
Theoretical framework for Cultural Intervention in Medium-Sized Cities
Table 1
Heavy trends in the Cultural Sector
1.
Growing importance of culture as a transversal component of development
2.
Growing importance of research and intervention tools in the cultural sector within the context of EU
policies
3.
On-going development of cultural creation as a means of adapting to the constant changes in society
4.
Mass consumption of culture stemming from increased access to a wider range of communication media
5.
Democratization of culture via an increase in cultural consumption per family
6.
Growing internationalization of cultural values and activities
7.
Less production of traditional forms of cultural expression
8.
Progressive integration of medium-sized urban centres into the cultural distribution/production networks
involving cultural domains that are less demanding from the point of view of infrastructure and
technology
9.
Increased quality and capacity of cultural production in Medium-Sized Cities
10. Growing importance of culture in the local/regional economy via the city’s external exposure
11. Increased interest on the part of cultural production/animation agents and on the part of the local
population
12. Growing participation of the private sector in financing culture
13. Growing desire to identify and preserve local identity values
14. Growing demand for regionally and locally specific cultural expressions
15. Growing importance of cultural identity as a means of increasing the ability of a Medium-Sized City to
compete
11
12
Table 2
Particularities of
Medium-Sized Cities

Average demographic
dimension
l Strengths of MediumSized Cities





Functionally, midway
between large urban
centres and small rural
centres
Morphological and
socio-cultural
characteristics favourable
to the creation of a single
identity

Weaknesses of
Medium-Sized Cities
Development of
cultural strategies aimed
at social cohesion and
citizenship through the
integration of the local
population, particularly
those social groups
considered most
vulnerable

Strong dependence of
the cultural sector on the
local public financing

Lack of public
resources for the cultural
sector
Favourable conditions
for participation of the
local community and
civilians (agents and
population) in cultural
activities, namely through
volunteer work

Feeble participation of
the private sector in the
cities’ cultural life,
financially and otherwise

Lack of cultural
diversity and specialization

Low occurrence of and
benefits from innovation
and research initiatives
conducted in an
institutional and/or high
professionalism context

Conditions favourable
to the initiation of original
and experimental smallscale local actions,
Contribution to cultural
decentralization by acting
as centre of activity for
the surrounding rural
areas

Favourable conditions
for international cultural
co-operation

Importance of cultural
tourism as part of a city’s
global development

Importance of historical
sights as a decisive factor
in the cultural projection of
Medium-Sized Cities on a
national and international
scale

Importance of cultural
particularities to a city’s
competitiveness

Main Guidelines

Encourage community
involvement and civic
participation in cultural
activities

Encourage private
sector financing of culture
Reduced ability to
attract a wide range of
national and international
cultural initiatives, except
those having to do with
architectural and
archaeological heritage

Develop regional cooperation

Promote the creation
of international cultural
networks for mediumsized cities
Cultural demand is
seasonal due to the
relative importance given
to cultural tourism

Protect and promote
existing cultural heritage

Take advantage of the
cities’ cultural
particularities to generate
cultural initiatives.
13
3.3. Methodological Principles
Because the strategic planning methodology (N4) is well known, only a summary of its most
relevant aspects will be presented here. It is comprised of a set of previously tested
methodological assumptions, namely with regard to medium-sized cities. It has become a
structural element in the political decision-making process. Its aim is to converge interests and
manage power relations in support of a common project that integrates a large spectrum of
the city’s opinions and values into a process of permanent self-evaluation and search for
consensus.
It is essentially characterised by a global and long-range vision of reality. It involves the
identification of the city’s positioning with respect to its external surroundings, identifying its
competitive advantages and orienting its intervention to support critical issues defined with the
participation of the social agents involved in the elaboration and implementation of the plan.
Carrying out a process of this kind implies a major conversion of related planning concepts and
practices. Methodologies favouring the following approaches must be drawn up:
Methodological Principles of Strategic Planning

Process dominance. Contrary to traditional planning and management instruments in which
the Plan is static, dated and disassociated from its implementation, the current plan is a
dynamic, flexible, pedagogical process that values interaction with the object of study and
constantly re-evaluates results and objectives.

Integrated Approach. Proposes a global vision of the issue in question through the
promotion of multi-subject and sectored integration methodologies that identify the forms
and degree of interdependence between the various components of the system as well as a
horizontal and vertical co-ordination between the various territorial and administrative levels.
It promotes co-operation between the socio-economic and territorial sectors of development
together with the different components of planning needed for understanding and
intervening in the study area, proceeding with territorial and timely integration.

Prospective approach. It is essentially a “look into the future that serves to guide present
actions”. It involves a long-range vision, a global approach that takes into account all the
components that contribute to the evolution of the modern world as well as their effects and
consequences. It consists of a voluntary attitude that translates into active, planned
involvement in the development process in order to reach the desired objective, which is to
build a better future rather than predict it.

Selective approach. Implies the adoption of a selective attitude marked by compliance with
the objectives to be reached. It is an integral part of the entire process of the plan,
14
especially in respect of selecting the participating actors, the domains to be analysed, the
actions to be executed in order to reach the desired ends and in determining the financial
resources to be applied.

Participation (H1). Presupposes the involvement of all the actors that contribute to the
execution of a global project that is capable of mobilising the local will to act. It employs
focalised and segmented participation via specific methodological procedures (H2) to get to
know and incorporate the will of different intervening parties and beneficiaries of the
development in question. Its aim is to mobilise participants to collaborate in the elaboration
of the Plan and encourage them to take responsibility for its implementation. It creates
conditions for an effective collaboration that exploits synergies and forestalls obstacles and
barriers to the Plan’s implementation. It constitutes an added advantage in negotiations
between the various entities involved in the process.
3.4. Organic Structure
The need to define an organizational model for the elaboration of a Strategic Plan stems from
the nature of Strategic Plans, which constitute a future vision of the city implying the
combination of a vast range of viewpoints, interests and perspectives. It therefore
becomes necessary to create a structure that will flexibly ensure the following conditions
throughout the whole process:
Leadership and dynamics;
Execution of technical tasks;
Responsiveness to external demand and the establishment of consensus;
Evaluation and implementation of the Plan’s proposals;
Its appropriation by the various city entities (administration and administrated parties).
It is clear that “...the existence of different political and administrative configurations of local
government, of various administrative traditions and distinct civic participation that vary in
accordance
with the countries and cities involved, obliges one to diversify the forms of
organization that support the planning process” (OA, “Guide for the Elaboration of Strategic
Plans for Medium-Sized Cities”).
More specifically, in the case of cultural sector planning, the disparities between municipal
capacity, municipal budgets, the importance of cultural heritage and/or the level of the
cities’ economic development, must be taken into account during the establishment of
organizational models for the elaboration of Strategic cultural plans.
Nevertheless, in most cases at least some of the requirements have been fulfilled. Regardless
of the specific reality of each city, in order for a methodology of strategic planning to be
successful, the composition of the desired organizational structure must ensure the following
conditions:
15
16
Requirements for the Creation of the SCP’s Organic Structure

Cumulative integration of the public and private sectors; various forms of integration
are possible. In order for the process to be effective, public and private interests must be
combined and co-operative mechanisms must be developed.

Participation of all the levels of administration and administrated parties; the plan
must correspond to a commitment toward a common project and it must involve and
encompass the whole spectrum of interests that range from the highest levels of public,
economic and civil administration right down to the common citizen.

Incorporation of technical and political components; although the plan is, above all, a
political instrument, the participation of a technical team is indispensable to the
development of all the supporting measures favouring discussion, evaluation and strategic
options.
3.4.1. Key Solutions
Despite the above-mentioned conditions, we believe there are advantages to establishing
organic parameters for the elaboration of Strategic cultural plans. They appear only as
possible solutions subject to numerous adaptations in accordance with the reality and needs of
each planning process. The proposed solutions may be classified according to leadership, more
specifically, the promoting entity responsible for developing the Plan. The main distinguishing
character of the proposed solutions is the level of internal and external co-operation present
in each.
Key Solutions for the Formation of the SCP’s Organic Structure
Solution A – The SCP is developed by the City Council (Services/Organ/Department
responsible for cultural matters).
Solution B (N5) – The SCP is developed by the City Council (Services/Organ/Department
responsible for cultural matters) and other cultural agents in the city. It is responsible for the
plan’s co-ordination, promotion and implementation with access to internal technical resources
or external consultants.
17
This Solution may involve different levels of participation on the part of the cultural agents
that do not belong to the City Council:
Solution B1 – The cultural agents have a consultative function
Solution B2 – The cultural agents also have decision-making powers
Solution C – The SCP is developed by a body consisting of the City Council and other
cultural agents with equal capacities and obligations with any entity being able to co-ordinate
the plan’s elaboration process.
18
3.4.2. Organizational Structure
The organizational structure for each of the given solutions will be composed of different
elements as follows:
Solution A – The technical co-ordination of the Plan’s process will be conducted by a municipal
technician from the sector and the elaboration of the SCP will be developed by the technical
staff of the municipal services, which will eventually be aided by external technical
consultants. The follow-up will be conducted by an elected member of City Council who will be
responsible for relaying the Plan to the Executive body and for promoting the Plan’s approval.
Solution B – The creation of a SCP Office representing the city’s cultural agents, which include
the City Council via politicians and Technical Services, possibly aided by external technicians,
who will assume the promotion, co-ordination and implementation of the Plan. The Office
will also include representatives from the most important cultural institutions in the city who will
have consultative decision-making powers, depending on the options described in the previous
number of this document. In this solution, financing is supplied via the City Council’s Budget
with the City Council managing the Plans’ finances.
Solution C – The creation of a SCP Office outside the City Council’s hospices consisting of the
most important cultural agents in the city, namely members of the City Council. The coordination of the financial management of the project may be undertaken by any of the agents
belonging to the Office via an internal agreement. Financing will be shared between the
agents according to internally defined criteria. This Solution will allow for a more rigorous
definition of the duties and obligations of all parties involved in the Plan’s process.
19
3.5. Elaboration process
This chapter will attempt to describe the global process of executing a Strategic cultural plan in
a systematic and coherent manner. It includes a proposal for the general structuring of the
project, adaptable to each city’s specific process of elaboration for their Strategic cultural plan.
There are four phases involved in the execution of the technical works necessary for the
formulation of the Plan:

Preparation and Organization

Analysis and Diagnosis

Formulation of the Strategic Intervention Framework

Elaboration of the city’s Strategic cultural plan
The 1st phase, Preparation and Organization, corresponds to the establishment of
prerequisite conditions for the Plan’s elaboration. It involves the following tasks:
1st Phase – Preparation and Organization

Implementation of the organizational structure (E1)

Identification and selection of the main actors (E2) (institutions, notable personalities,

associations, group representatives etc.) and their participation in the Plan’s execution
Identification/creation of communication channels and instruments (E3) in conjunction with
the city in order to advertise Plan-related initiatives

Promotion of initiatives (E4) (seminars/gatherings) aimed at addressing the key questions
concerning the city’s cultural development

Selection of documented and statistical information
20
The 2nd phase, Analysis and Diagnosis, is aimed at elaborating a qualitative and
methodologically oriented diagnosis for the formulation of an intervention strategy to be defined
in the following phase. This 2nd phase breaks down as follows:
2nd Phase – Analysis and Diagnosis

Identification of the cultural development pattern that led to the current situation, constituting
a reference point for the justification of the Plan’s execution.

External analysis (H3), more precisely, the city’s position (N6) in regards to its external
surroundings–region, country, Europe, the world.

Internal analysis of the cultural system characterised by the main components (H4) of the

city’s planning and cultural management. It serves as a qualitative diagnostic system.
Integrated diagnosis (H5), constitutes a crucial step in the Plan’s elaboration process. It is
the systemic result of the external and internal analysis. The selection of subjects and their
relation to the objectives of strategic planning allows nuclear information (E5) to be obtained
without work being interrupted. It constitutes, therefore, the basis for the formulation of the
strategic intervention framework. Its elaboration requires the use of methodologically
suitable operative concepts that translate its integrated, selective and prospective character.
The 3rd phase, Formulation of the Strategic Intervention Framework, is based on combining
the most relevant results of the diagnosis. It consists of a model for the city’s desired long-term
cultural development. It also represents an affirmation and position-taking process with respect
to a city’s external surroundings. It is the first phase in the strategy-building process and its main
objective is to identify the principal options that will mark potential and desired future occurrences.
Its coherent articulation allows the formulation of the strategic intervention framework.
3rd Phase – Formulation of the Strategic Intervention Framework

Identification of the Main Guidelines (H6) (E6)

Definition of the Strategic Intervention Vectors (H6) (E7)

Definition of Objectives (E8)
21
After having defined the principal objectives (main guidelines) that will guide and direct the
cultural planning process, it will be necessary to coherently define the key areas of
intervention that the city must address (strategic vectors) along with specific objectives that
correspond to a set of priorities strategically defined in accordance with the major guidelines
and vectors. This last step involves detailed specification of the objectives to be reached and
a description of the proposed strategic intervention framework.
Finally, the goal of the 4th phase, Elaboration of the City’s Strategic cultural plan, is to
transform previously defined qualitative strategic objectives into reality. The set of
programmed actions defined and detailed in an articulate and coherent manner translates
into the Plan of Action used to implement the Strategic Plan.
4th Phase – Elaboration of the Strategic cultural plan

Formulation of strategic projects

Definition of strategic actions, namely those needed for the viable implementation of the
proposed projects

Methodology of project selection and prioritization that identifies those projects most likely to
fulfil the desired strategy .

Formulation of the execution plan that establishes when, where and how the co-ordination
of the projects and actions will take place along with the roles attributed to the agents
responsible for implementing the projects.

Elaboration of a financing plan that establishes cost estimates and sources of financing.

Creation of devices for the co-ordination, implementation and evaluation of the Plan.
22
PROCESS FOR THE ELABORATION OF STRATEGIC CULTURAL PLANS
PREPARATION AND ORGANIZATION

Implementation of the organizational structure

Identification and selection of the socio-cultural agents

Identification/creation of communication channels and
media

Holding of seminar(s)

Selection and organization of information
.
ANALYSIS AND DIAGNOSIS
ANALYSIS
INTEGRATED DIAGNOSIS
 Characterization of the reference
situation
 External analysis of the city’s position
with respect to its surroundings
 Internal analysis of the main
components of the city’s planning and
cultural management





Heavy trends
Strengths and weaknesses
Opportunities and threats
Cultural particularities
Cultural specialization on a regional,
national and international scale
STRATEGIC INTERVENTION FRAMEWORK



Main guidelines
Strategic intervention vectors
Objectives
THE CITY’S STRATEGIC CULTURAL PLAN





Strategic projects and actions
Selection and prioritzation of projects and actions
Execution plan
Financing plan
Co-ordination devices, implementation and evaluation of the
plan
23
4. CULTURAL INTERVENTION IN THE MECINE NETWORK CITIES – STRATCULT’S CONTRIBUTIONS AND
RESULTS
4.1. Description of the Developed Projects
Aside from creating the Guide for the Elaboration of Strategic cultural plans for Medium-Sized
European Cities, which is undoubtedly Stratcult’s highest impact product, Stratcult has also
developed other projects of direct interest to the cities involved.
These projects are discussed here in this point because they all contain innovative aspects
worth mentioning and publicising throughout all the other European cities that may be interested
in this project:
4.1.1. Strategic cultural plans
The four strategic cultural plans developed within the Stratcult framework are available in their
entirety (but only in the language they were produced in) as an annexe to this CD-ROM
(Annexe II).
As indicated in the introduction, the creation of a Strategic cultural plan for each city had not
been initially intended, not to mention the elaboration of a Guide to the Strategic cultural plan..
However, each of the cities involved expressed a wish to take advantage of this opportunity
to develop and benefit from its own experimental methodology. Thus each city carried out
a much needed study and was able to test the methodology by putting it into practise.
The cities of Évora and Lamia (N7) each opted to carry out a strategic cultural plan within the
territorial framework of their municipality, covering all the areas defined in the methodology. The
Évora Plan is currently in its completion phase and is the first of its kind to be carried out in
Portugal.
The Global Strategic Plan for Speyer was already underway when the city decided to take
advantage of the cultural aspect of the Plan by implementing the Stratcult methodology.
The city of Linkoping, situated only 40 km from another Swedish city of the same size, decided
to take advantage of the opportunity to develop a regional study. The plan would involve both of
these cities and others nearby as a means of promoting each city’s qualities within a noncompetitive spirit of co-operation. The plan would also be used to strategically develop culture in
Linkoping.
Lastly, the city of Roskilde, which currently possesses a strategic cultural plan, opted to
develop a more specific plan dedicated to young people based on the methodology being
studied. The plan was fully completed and allowed the city to detect some weaknesses that are
24
currently being addressed.
4.1.2. Pilot- Projects
Stratcult’s project initially foresaw the implementation of two Pilot-Projects, one to be developed
in Évora and the other in Lamia.
A - The goal of the Évora project, referred to as
“Projecto Chão” (Floor Project), was to
revitalise and renovate an urban city block via the creation of a Museological Nucleus of
Metrology. The latter instrument functions as a means of revitalising social and cultural life while
producing an economic impact on the surrounding areas. Its implementation was conducted in
the following stages:
Évora Pilot-Project

The restoration of “Casa da Balança” (House of the Scales), an area belonging to the old
fruit and vegetable market in Largo Chão das Covas, in order to house the Museological
Nucleus;

Collection, restoration and study of a vast array of measuring and weighing instruments
currently on display at the Museological Nucleus;

Development of
a cultural events programme centred around the museum and the
surrounding areas involving theatre, music and fairs attracting people to the city block
undergoing renovation;

The creation of cultural and artistic professional training courses.
The most important result was the fact that the metrology museum attracted more than XXXXX
people, thus contributing to the development and revitalization of the surrounding region. The
project also created XXX direct or indirect employment opportunities.
B - The Lamia project was created to promote music in the city’s cultural life. It involved the
creation of a workshop manufacturing traditional Greek instruments in Lamia, together with a
series of research and animation interventions related to Hellenic music. Below the stages
involved in carrying out this project:
Lamia Pilot-Project

Detailed research on the influence of traditional Greek music on European culture, and the
25
production of traditional Hellenic musical instruments;

The restoration of a small theatre located near a school set up to house a shop where
traditional instruments are produced and displayed to the public via musical performances;

Performances and conferences dedicated to local and regional traditional music.
This pilot-project resulted mainly in the creation of various training courses involving the
manufacture of traditional musical instruments and
it created
XXXX direct and indirect
employment opportunities.
4.1.3. Small Cultural Projects
At the meeting of the Stratcult project’s Co-ordination Committee in Linkoping at the end of
1997, the cities decided that the four partners that did not have a pilot-project could organise a
small-scale cultural initiative . Each initiative was required to transmit the spirit of the project to
the city’s inhabitants and in some way contribute to making culture a part of local development.
The following projects (N8) were carried out:
Small Cultural Projects

Linkoping – referred to as the Artistic Renewal of the VALLA Industrial Area, the idea was
to show that art can be an important factor in the process of urban industrial renewal. A
group of 10 artists developed an image study of the degraded buildings in the VALLA
industrial zone using new computer technologies, namely three-dimensional imaging.

Roskilde – the Streetcult project was carried out over a 3-day weekend dedicated to young
people in Roskilde and other Stratcult cities with the aim of promoting a gathering targeted
specifically at the younger generations. The programme included live music, gatherings,
shows, sporting activities and round table discussions. The latter analysed the various
cultural sub-divisions and expressions among young people, namely those expressions
that are more difficult to integrate socially.

Speyer – organised the “101 Music Hall” project inviting a rock band from each Stratcult
partner city, for a long-weekend concert for young people. The aim was to bring together
young people through music and show cultural diversity through the different styles of each
group. The project also permitted an analysis of the possibilities and strategies for the
development of public-private partnerships in the cultural sector as well as the discussion of
new concepts and ideas for cultural activities.
One may conclude from this small summary that the Stratcult project became a catalyst for
26
other projects, all of which resulting from exchanges between the members of the MECINE
Network. The Stratcult period of development, together with its demonstrative and multiplying
effect, helped to identify this type of project as one that promotes profound synergies.
27
4.2. Large Contribution Domains
The Stratcult project’s area of operation was extremely vast from the start. It covered three very
complex objects of analysis, namely culture, medium-sized cities and strategic planning.
Their interdependence seems evident, but it is also clear that their in-depth study raises
innumerable recurrent questions that can complicate the process. It is relevant to mention the
lack of theoretical research conducted in such areas and the almost total absence of
statistical information and qualitative indicators that help to foster a profound understanding
of the questions under analysis.
However, the field of operation in itself, was extremely lacking in uniformity from the start. We
found ourselves dealing with a network of European cities with a large geographical distribution
encompassing the farthest reaching regions in the European Union with all the associated
economic, social and cultural differences. This is another issue that represented both a
challenge and a source of potential for the project. It dealt with conceptual and
methodological difficulties of significant importance.
This introduction establishes a framework for the Stratcult process and helps explain the need
to establish three large domains that identify the main contributions of the process, which are
the following:

A Cultural Strategy for Medium-Sized Cities stemming from the need to limit the concept
of culture and its relation to planned intervention in medium-sized cities.

Discussion on the Nature of Cultural Intervention in Medium-Sized Cities covering all
questions concerning the particularities and
role of medium-sized cities in the
implementation of cultural strategies.

Methodology of the Intervention Strategy for Medium-Sized Cities, consisting of the
benefits and needs related to the application of strategic planning methodology to the
cultural sector.
These large domains are related to the three objects under analysis. They relate the basic
concerns that dominated the works in progress from beginning to end.
These contributions have various origins given that the project is both theoretical and practical
(Pilot-Projects, Small Projects and Strategic Plans). The synthesis that was reached results
from the combination of these two aspects. Despite its schematic appearance, it addresses a
wide range of questions concerning the Stratcult Project with the corresponding results
illustrated in the following number.
28
4.3. Contribution Content
The contributions from the theoretical discussion and the various projects developed by the
network cities within the context of Stratcult deal mainly with the domains described above.
These contributions break down as follows:
Scope of Intervention of the Cultural
Strategy for MSCs

Extension of the scope to social and
recreational areas (e.g.; sports,
leisure, education).

Increased importance of cultural
areas related to contemporary
creation.
Discussion on the Nature of
Cultural Intervention in MSCs

Assertion of culture as a factor of
cohesion and social health rather
than as a source of competition
and external exposure (e.g.:
urban renewal, job creation,
social integration of children,
young people , voiceless groups,
ethnic minorities, emigrants).

Recognition of the importance of
volunteer work to the
implementation of cultural
strategies in medium-sized cities.

Appreciation of innovation and
contemporary cultural creation as
a component of local identity.
Methodology of the Cultural
Intervention Strategy for MSCs

Reduced emphasis on the city’s
external aspect (territorial
coverage) due to the decreasing
importance attributed to culture
as a means of competing with
other cities and regions.

Analysis of the impact of culture
on the city’s social cohesion.

Discussion involving the new
variables that are to be
considered when defining
organizational models for the
elaboration of SCP´s (see Boel
contributions).

Cultural Financing ? (Filipe)
29
4.4. Global Evaluation of Stratcult
Stratcult’s work was developed within the scope of the MECINE Network. The network is new.
The size, territorial limits, level of economic development and cultural diversity of each of its
cities generated some expected difficulties throughout project’s evolution. Paradoxically, these
obstacles served to enrich the process. Overall, we consider the project to be a success.
Upon analysis of Stratcult’s Global Objectives (see Chapter 2.1.) and their success rate, we
find proof of the project’s success rate. In fact, we consider that,

There was a wide-spread exchange of ideas and, above all, a mutual exchange of acquired
knowledge and contrasting realities of cultural intervention among the Network’s cities. Not
only was know-how transferred, as expected, there was also a
recognition of a
common European identity affirmed within a framework of vast diversity. The result of this
process has resulted in the development of parallel cultural initiatives among the Network’s
cities.

Throughout the project’s evolution, Culture was emphasised as a means of developing
solidarity. The project illustrated the importance of the cultural sector’s contribution to a
city’s economic and social development. The strategic importance of culture was also
made evident. It helps provide exposure to cities with fragile economies and helps create
cohesive, unified societies in the more economically prosperous cities.

Experiments conducted via numerous city projects contributed significantly to job creation.
We will have to take into account the small dimension of the cultural market in these cities in
order to understand the relative significance of the results achieved.
Upon evaluating the level of response to Stratcult’s Global Objectives (see Chapter 2.3) one
finds that dynamic joint discussions were carried out, sometimes without producing any
conclusive results, but still helping to create awareness of the following:

The particularities of medium-sized cities, their role in the surrounding region and their
internal objectives, particularly with regard to culture.

The cultural sector’s potential as a contributing factor to the city’s economic, social and
cultural dynamics.

The need to research and adopt specific concepts and methodologies relevant to
cultural planning.
30

This project is only one step in an on-going process of discussion and planning
constantly subject to being re-evaluated and adapted to prevailing circumstances.
We would also like to mention the excellent working environment that was created and the great
effort made by all the participants to overcome the existing cultural barriers, namely language,
in order to benefit as much as possible from this collective experience. We believe this point
reveals each participant’s willingness to incorporate his or her own diversity into a single
framework. Such a fact bodes well for the future of the MECINE Network.
31