‘It’s not the winning: reconsidering the cultural city’ is a one-day conference, where researchers with an interest in culture-led regeneration and urban cultural development will plan ‘next steps’ for the Cultural Cities Research Network, convened in March 2011 to discuss the impact of bidding for cultural titles. Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, the Cultural Cities Research Network has brought together cities shortlisted in the UK City of Culture 2013 competition, including Birmingham, Norwich and Sheffield to consider and debate what connects cities during the shared experience of bidding for a cultural title, including situated contexts, motivations and expectations, and the impact of bidding upon the policy-making process; the role of the creative economy in city strategies; and connections between different communities. Led by the Institute of Cultural Capital (ICC - a strategic collaboration between Liverpool John Moores University and the University of Liverpool) in association with City University London and the University of Birmingham, the network has identified a number of emerging research interests inspired by the relationship between cultural titles and other ideas and practices such as cultural entitlement, collaborative working, place-making and cultural leadership. The ICC and partners are now planning to develop a programme of collaborative research linked to the on-going UK City of Culture programme – the conference provides an opportunity to share and discuss ideas with the wider academic community.  

Confirmed speakers include Dr Jonathan Vickery, Centre for Cultural Policy Studies, University of Warwick; Dr Oliver Mould, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford; Dr Peter Campbell, Department of Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology, University of Liverpool; Dr Roberta Comunian, School of Arts, University of Kent; Dr Dave O'Brien, Centre for Cultural Policy and Management, City University London.  

Conference programme

9.30 - 10.00: Arrival and registration

10.00: Welcome from the Institute of Cultural Capital

10.15: Presentation on the Cultural Cities Research Network and next steps

10.45: Reconsidering the Cultural City - panel discussion and Q&A

12.00: Lunch and networking

13.00: Parallel sessions - 'Cultural Titles and Entitlement' and 'The Power of Cultural Collaboration'

14.30: Tea and coffee break

15.00: Plenary - feedback on parallel sessions and gauge of interest in collaborative research opportunities

16.00: Thanks and close