Retail hub to culture hub - could we potentially change city centers

@Grrrl Said

Again, this sounds good, I do believe that things like museums, libraries and galleries do need to find ways to make themselves more approachable to people who are not currently using them. Putting themselves on the high street might be a good first step- but I wonder how you'd stop it from becoming a gimmick or one off?

@someone_else_again Said

What I meant (and townie_guy is addressing) is Grrrl's idea to turn shops into residences. In my town, you cannot do that in certain areas as they are intended solely for commercial and light industrial purposes.

@someone_else_again Said

Okay, I'm not really sure you followed the rabbit trail of conversation though.

What I meant (and townie_guy is addressing) is Grrrl's idea to turn shops into residences. In my town, you cannot do that in certain areas as they are intended solely for commercial and light industrial purposes.

@Grrrl Said

Oh wait! I'm a bit of an idiot. People live above shops all the time (as in in upstairs flats), so if there's a rule, it wouldn't relate to the area of town, it'd have to be some other grounds.

@townie_guy Said

Yeah I think you can live anywhere you just cant build shops or industry anywhere. That has to be approved.

@davidpmartin Said

I think the easiest way to introduce it is could actually be through novelty

For example there was once an art project in scotland that was essentially a library of artwork, people could go in rent the works and people would drive to there house and install it and pick it up two days later

i cant remember the name of the work all i know is it was in an art festival last year

but things like that could be the gateway to this.

Another example, maybe you could get a council to let you have a unit where you orgonise free public lectures / debates. i mean most streets are even pedestrian now you could even organise a platform there.

Everything i am saying all sounds very ancient greek so maybe i just need a time machine

@Grrrl Said

I remember seeing a segment about that project on TV, it seemed quite interesting.
I'm not convinced that novelty always builds habit though. (I'm not saying don't try by any means!) I think you need to think about who the target audience is for these projects too. You can already go to lectures and fine art projects if you live in a large enough town. Those kinds of events are likely to only draw the same people already taking part of them, rather than reach new audiences.
(I'm sorry, I'm coming off really negative, I do think there's something to what you're saying honestly!)

@Grrrl Said

I remember seeing a segment about that project on TV, it seemed quite interesting.
I'm not convinced that novelty always builds habit though. (I'm not saying don't try by any means!) I think you need to think about who the target audience is for these projects too. You can already go to lectures and fine art projects if you live in a large enough town. Those kinds of events are likely to only draw the same people already taking part of them, rather than reach new audiences.
(I'm sorry, I'm coming off really negative, I do think there's something to what you're saying honestly!)

@davidpmartin Said

No i agree with you there but maybe if you start it as an open air summer project in a place people could stumble upon?

@Grrrl Said

It's as good a starting point as any, but I think it's that middle piece between temporary events and longterm established cultural hubs that's missing. Perhaps public interest would allow it to grow organically? I don't know.

@davidpmartin Said

I think it could be one of those things where you have to convince people threw other mediums that it is a good thing otherwise there would be a lack of understanding\

@Grrrl Said

Such as?

@davidpmartin Said

Well imagine anytime we enter a war or a conflict, newspapers television and the internet sort of push the reason why we are going into it. somtimes we back it and sometimes we protest. for example after 9/11it seemed like america could of literally decided whoever they want to attack if they used propaganda to say someone else did it.