Modelling the organic: Case study for the cultural value of vernacular forms of art production

Presentation made in the Mapping in Cultural Policy session on first day of conference.

This research investigates intuitive models for cross pollinating fine art practice into local production centres so as to encourage more sustainable models of business activity. A key element is to examine methodologies for mapping the cultural value of artistic activities to support the research approach and its proposed outcomes. For my presentation, I will be using findings from the Sound Proof (SP) seri es of exhibitions that I curated in the period 2008 2012 to test various methodologies for mapping cultural value. The aim is to make the case for cultural heritage activities that support a stronger sense of place in the community. SP was a series of annu al exhibitions tracking the development of the Stratford site of London 2012 over a five year period through artistic commissions with a focus on sound. During this key timeframe, SP was the only independent initiative of its kind to respond to the same so urce material as the Cultural Olympiad. The research examined how organically evolving cultural activity can contribute to notions of legacy and how it can highlight cultural memories overlooked by official channels. SP provided a forum for independent res ponses alongside the official Cultural Olympiad and championed the notion of heritage as a shared public resource. The key dimension I would like to explore in my presentation is how to map the intangible cultural value of SP the intricate links and coinfluences achieved through the activities of SP's artists, curators, partners, funders, and public disseminators. This more holistic approach is based on networks of interdependent participants, and quantification of its effectiveness will require a more complex means to measure its success. This can be achieved through a rigorous cultural mapping methodology that can reliably express the value of intangible cultural elements.

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