New Centre For Cities Report

Towns which were doing well in 1901 are still on top now says a new report by the influential Centre for Cities think tank. Cities Outlook 1901 takes data from the 1901 Census to trace the economic fortunes of cities in the UK over the course of the 20th century.  By providing fresh insight into successful urban economies at the beginning of the 20th century, the report helps us to understand what policy makers can do to improve the prospects of cities for the future. In particular, Cities Outlook 1901 finds that skills are the most important factor determining long-term urban success, and therefore should be a key area for policy intervention. Seven out of eight of the best performing cities today had above average skills levels in 1901, while 80 percent of cities with vulnerable economies in 2012 fall into the bottom 20 cities for skills levels in 1901.

2010 EU Year of Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion

2010 is the EU Year for combating poverty and social exclusion. Last year’s international economic and financial crisis is very likely to have long-term consequences for growth and employment across the EU and elsewhere. In this scenario, the piloting of proactive and enlightened new forms of urban governance at local level will be increasingly vital for cities large and small. We believe that the dissemination of urban and social innovation’s good practices is a key step in helping civic leaders and communities to find better solutions to the problems presented by the current crisis. This is why, as well as the development of practical projects and initiatives, our contribution to the EU Year against poverty will be each month to feature inspiring examples of social and urban innovation that have made a real change to the lives of the vulnerable and the excluded.

PICNIC 09 – Amsterdam

What are the great breakthroughs that will change our lives in the coming decade? Will they improve our economy, deal with the environment and make our lives more livable? What are the alternative urban, social, digital, scenarios for our future?
PICNIC ’09 tackled all this and more.
If you have missed this truly unique three-day event, go to:
http://www.picnicnetwork.org/search/5905/en

The Digital City in the Next Five Years –Report

Cap Digital’s main event within the International Futur en Seine Festival “The Digital City in the Next Five Years” (5-6 June 2009) brought together international guests (senior politicians and political advisors, urban planners, thinkers, digital creatives, designers, business, research) and their Paris City/Region equivalents to collaborate in discussing and designing the new paradigm of the digital city. Here is the link to downloading a comprehensive report about the event written by Andrew Bullen (Organiser of the International Programme for Futur en Seine).

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Forum for Creative Europe

On Thursday 26 March the Forum for Creative Europe will take place in Prague. Organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic in collaboration with European Commission, the conference is one of the main events of the European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009. With over 50 speakers, artists, policy makers and practitioners from Europe and outside the Forum will be an opportunity to make the case for creativity in a world in turmoil.
Lia Ghilardi will be among the speakers and in her presentation she will discuss how cities can be more creative in the way they deal with competitiveness by focusing on their unique DNA defined across urban, social, human and cultural capital.

To follow the Forum live please go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J526Q-Wczbc
www.forumforcreativeeurope.cz/en

Creative Cities Forum, Peking University

Abstract: This paper deals with the issues associated with the use ofculture in urban regeneration and place-shaping and, through the use of practical examples of implementation, discusses cultural planning as a method for the delivery of integrated and sustainable cultural and urban development policies.

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