Culture

Section One - Introduction
Over the last 25 years the cultural industries have taken greater prominence within the mammoth task that is regeneration; in particular areas which had entered the turbulence of de-industrialisation and riversides that needed a major makeover (Garcia, 2005).   Following initial highbrow forays by cities such as Bilbao and Barcelona into the culture regeneration mire many other cities embarked on a similar journey into the relevantly unknown.

With the advent of globalised competition and economies the task to create 21st century cities was faced by all, from grass root to national government; the need for change, revitalisation and marketing had started to evolve (Miles, 2005. However the inclusion of existing communities can be questioned as cultural regeneration has created gentrified urban space surrounded by deprivation (Wilks-Heeg, 2004). Utilising culture within regeneration has brought finance from public, voluntary and private sectors, the latter elements sourced particulary from the lottery and housing developers seeking to build costly apartments.

Waterfronts quickly became an asset; from being a liability, canals and riversides previously excluded and ignored were suddenly thrust into the limelight. De-industrialised areas, frequently inner city and many located next to water were seen as the salvation to numerous cities revitalisation challenge. Not only was there cash a plenty (via lottery cash and quangos budgets) but the regeneration areas tended to be brownfield also.   Housing was added to the cultural mix which yielded further private sector monies.   The culture and regeneration composition didn’t always produce successful results and in others the success of this mix exaggerated (Miles & Paddison, 2005).   The alleged vagueness of arts and culture mixed in with a heavily numeric and outcome focussed regeneration ethos clashed at times.

Gateshead Quayside fits firmly within this description, the Gateshead Quayside...