Improving quality of life through cultural regeneration and urban development: The Marseille Euroméditerranée renewal project

Competitive cities enhance the interaction between culture and regeneration which can contribute to economic development and social renewal, which in turn furthers comprehensive redevelopment. It is a question not only of boosting the economies of culture, but also of producing new economies, emanating from cultural capital which is understood as an expression of place identity. Creativity is found not only in the typical characteristics of the entrepreneurial spirit, but also in the dissemination of behaviour that is favourable to cultural exchange and the enhancement of lifestyle diversity. Therefore new urban policies should be considered. The experience of creative cities shows two types of creative clusters: cultural clusters which are created around activities such as fine art, music, cinema, architecture and design, and whose initiation is encouraged and planned by local government; and clusters of cultural events ranging from great events to local recreational and cultural events. This paper aims to show that new urban policies are able to stimulate sustainable urban regeneration and innovation by examining the case study of waterfront regeneration in Marseille Euroméditerranée.