Cities, Museums and SOFT POWER€¦ · Gail Dexter Lord Ngaire Blankenberg October 10 2015...

Gail Dexter Lord Ngaire BlankenbergOctober 10 2015Knowledge Quarter

Cities, Museums and

SOFT POWER:

A look at London

Crowd along Ladbroke Grove during the Notting Hall Carnival, Photo: Wikipedia

• Founded Lord Cultural Resources in 1981

• The world’s largest cultural professional practice

• 2,000+ assignments over 34 years

• 56+ countries on 6 continents

• An international reputation for sector leadership,

innovation and excellence

Toronto New York Paris Mumbai Beijing

CULTURAL

PROJECTS IN

1000+ CITIES

WORLDWIDE.

SOFT POWER

Soft power is the ability to influence behaviourthrough persuasion,

attraction or agenda setting.

UK #1 IN SOFT

POWER

“Cultural contact has originally been

elite-to-elite (through royal courts and

ambassadors),then elite-to-many (via

broadcasting and cinema) and

now we are entering

into a phase of

people-to-people

through travel, migration

and the internet.

Influence and Attraction, Culture and the race for soft power in the 21st century,

British Council, p.7

SOFT

POWER

STARTS

AT HOME

CITIES ARE

AT THE

EPICENTER OF

SOFT POWER

Sunset over London AquariumSource: Wikipedia

URBAN POPULATION IS GROWING by 65 million annually. Cities = Half of the world’s population. 80% of global GDP. Urbanization drives global ECONOMIC growth.

Tokyo

SOFT POWER

IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Growth of networks

Power of civil society

Role of women

"Cities are starting to exercise influence on global issues like migration and sustainability, but could cities more

effectively exercise

their soft power by

embracing museums?”

- Richard Florida

MUSEUMS

USED TO BE

AGENTS OF

HARD POWER

• Trophies of war• Exhibitions focused on

hierarchies of civilization• Records of “great men”

Elgin Marbles, British MuseumPhoto by Andrew Dunn. Source: Wikipedia

MUSEUM EVOLUTION

EDUCATIONAL

INSTITUTIONS

ENTERTAINMENT

CITY BRANDING

Museum of Minnesota Source: Facebook

Darwin Center Source: Facebook

Guggenheim BilbaoPhoto by Andrew Nash. Source: Flickr

NOW: SOFT POWER

….but many prefer to be

sleeping giants

Photo: The Royal Society

1. Increase Property Values2. Economic Generators3. Tourism Destinations4. Adapting to Change5. Preserve and Display 6. Cultural Commons and Place-making7. 21ST Century Skills8. Soft Power Funding

MUSEUMS ROLES

IN CITY-BUILDING

INCREASING

PROPERTY VALUES

ADAPTING

TO CHANGE

Human + ExhibitionScience Gallery International / CCCB Barcelona

CULTURAL COMMONS

AND PLACE-MAKING

Canalside Steps, Granary Square, King's CrossPhoto: King’s Cross

21ST

CENTURY

SKILLS

Le Laboratoire. Paris, FrancePhoto from Le Laboratoire Facebook

SOFT POWER

FUNDING

….WHEN SOFT POWER COLLIDES

Protesters at Wellcome Collection, April 2015Photo: DivestLondon

It’s a moment of choice for museums

Soft Power Embrace with Cities

OrSleeping Giant ?

THANK

YOU.

@Gail_Lord

#softpowercities

#softpowermuseums

MuseumsSoftPower

Email:

Glord@lord.ca