Arts district
Encyclopedia
An arts district is a demarcated urban area, usually on the periphery of a city centre
, intended to create a 'critical mass' of places of cultural consumption - such as art galleries
, dance club
s, theatre
s, art cinema
s, music venues, and public squares for performances. Such an area is usually encouraged by public policy-making and planning, but sometimes occurs spontaneously. It is associated with allied service-industry jobs like cafes, printers, fashion outlets, restaurants, and a variety of 'discreet services' (see the back-page small-ads of almost any cultural events-listings magazine).
There may also be some artists' studios located in nearby back-streets. But, as Richard Florida
has found from his research, cultural production facilities are often better sited some miles away from cultural consumption facilities - except in some very tolerant cities and in countries where a boisterous alcohol-based nightlife scene does not lead to aggressive and anti-social behaviour.
In the UK
the term sometimes used is "Cultural quarter" or "Arts quarter".
Notable arts districts in the USA include:
Art districts in London include:
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
, intended to create a 'critical mass' of places of cultural consumption - such as art galleries
Art gallery
An art gallery or art museum is a building or space for the exhibition of art, usually visual art.Museums can be public or private, but what distinguishes a museum is the ownership of a collection...
, dance club
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
s, theatre
Theater (structure)
A theater or theatre is a structure where theatrical works or plays are performed or other performances such as musical concerts may be produced. While a theater is not required for performance , a theater serves to define the performance and audience spaces...
s, art cinema
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
s, music venues, and public squares for performances. Such an area is usually encouraged by public policy-making and planning, but sometimes occurs spontaneously. It is associated with allied service-industry jobs like cafes, printers, fashion outlets, restaurants, and a variety of 'discreet services' (see the back-page small-ads of almost any cultural events-listings magazine).
There may also be some artists' studios located in nearby back-streets. But, as Richard Florida
Richard Florida
Richard Florida is an American urban studies theorist.Richard Florida's focus is on social and economic theory. He is currently a professor and head of the Martin Prosperity Institute at the Rotman School of Management, at the University of Toronto. He also heads a private consulting firm, the...
has found from his research, cultural production facilities are often better sited some miles away from cultural consumption facilities - except in some very tolerant cities and in countries where a boisterous alcohol-based nightlife scene does not lead to aggressive and anti-social behaviour.
In the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
the term sometimes used is "Cultural quarter" or "Arts quarter".
Notable arts districts in the USA include:
- Arts District, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Arts District, Dallas, Texas
- Arts District, Portland, Maine
- Crossroads Arts DistrictCrossroads Arts DistrictThe Crossroads is a historic neighborhood near Downtown Kansas City, Missouri. It is centered at approximately 19th Street and Baltimore Avenue, directly south of the downtown loop and north of Crown Center. It is the city's main art gallery district and center for the visual arts...
, Kansas City, Missouri - Cultural Center Historic District, Detroit, Michigan
- Downtown Arts DistrictDowntown Arts DistrictThe Downtown Arts District, or the 18b Las Vegas Arts District in Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada was created in 1998 and comprises an 18-block zone that is set aside to encourage art and artists....
, Las Vegas, Nevada - MidtownMidtown AtlantaMidtown is the second largest financial district in the city of Atlanta, Georgia, situated between the commercial and financial districts of Downtown and SoNo to the south and the affluent residential and commercial district of Buckhead to the north...
, Atlanta, Georgia - Noho Arts DistrictNoHo Arts District, Los Angeles, CaliforniaThe NoHo Arts District is a new Los Angeles community, located near Valley Village, Burbank, Toluca Lake, Universal City and North Hollywood, that is home to contemporary theaters, art galleries, cafes, and shops. The community is generally bounded by Hatteras Street to the North, Cahuenga Blvd to...
, Los Angeles, California - Ray Street Arts DistrictRay Street Arts DistrictThe Ray Street Arts District is an arts district in the North Park neighborhood of San Diego, California.-Location:The Ray Street Arts District is centered on Ray Street between University Avenue and North Park Way in North Park, San Diego, California, and often includes 30th Street to the west as...
in North Park, San Diego, California - Pearl DistrictPearl District, Portland, OregonThe Pearl District is an area of Portland, Oregon, formerly occupied by warehouses, light industry and railroad classification yards and now noted for its art galleries, upscale businesses and residences. The area has been undergoing significant urban renewal since the late 1990s, including the...
, Portland, Oregon - Short North, Columbus, Ohio
- UptownUptown OaklandUptown is a neighborhood in Downtown Oakland, California, located just north of the center of downtown. Its boundaries are ill-defined, but most definitions include the area bounded by Grand Avenue at the north, Telegraph Avenue on the west, City Center plaza on the south, and Harrison Street on...
, Oakland, California - Miller Beach Arts and Creative DistrictMiller Beach Arts and Creative DistrictLocated in the community of Miller Beach, Indiana, the Miller Beach Arts and Creative District is a demarcated area positioned on Lake Michigan's southern beaches and the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Park. The district includes much of the historically significant downtown Miller area...
, Gary, Indiana
Art districts in London include:
- ShoreditchShoreditchShoreditch is an area of London within the London Borough of Hackney in England. It is a built-up part of the inner city immediately to the north of the City of London, located east-northeast of Charing Cross.-Etymology:...
- Broadway MarketBroadway MarketBroadway Market is a street running from London Fieldsto the Regent's Canal in Haggerston in the London Borough of Hackney, east London.Before the late 20th century it was the site of a busy fruit and vegetable market, but this slowly dwindled over time - in the early 2000s, market activity was...
See also
- Urban regeneration
- Creative industriesCreative industriesThe creative industries refers to a range of economic activities which are concerned with the generation or exploitation of knowledge and information...
- Cultural industries
- Entertainment districtEntertainment districtAn entertainment district is used to describe an area that offers several forms of entertainment or many entertainment venues.Specific entertainment districts include:* Calgary Entertainment District, Canada* Granville Entertainment District, Canada...
- Creative classCreative classThe Creative Class is a socioeconomic class that economist and social scientist Richard Florida, a professor and head of the Martin Prosperity Institute at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, identifies as a key driving force for economic development of post-industrial...