Abstract

Culture-led regeneration and creativity policies appear to have achieved broad societal acceptance in many cities in North America and Europe. This research explores how a
discursive articulation of culture with entrepreneurial notions of ―creativity has contributed to a new set of policies, forms of policy coordination, sectoral partnerships and growth coalitions. This is illustrated by the case of Montréal, Canada, a city that places culture and creativity at the heart of its local accumulation strategy, and has secured a soft hegemonic presence. This research largely draws on geographical political economy literature that views urban neoliberalism as a contingent process that requires consent from disparate constituencies, and not as something predeterminedby changes in the economy. The first line of inquiry traces key events and policy documents i.e. ―key moments of conjuncture that have helped to repackage culture as a competitive asset. Supplemented with analysis derived from speeches, media, official documents and online
sources, the case demonstrates how the creative cities discourse has fuelled a new policy network that allows for the rapprochement of cultural actors with traditional urban elites. Using the creation of the Quartier des Spectacles as a case study, the second line of inquiry examines how the intertwining of culture, creativity and economic development have come to shape urban planning. Finally, in line with neo-Gramscian perspectives on urban politics, this research concludes by exploring instances of counter hegemony, particularly within the local artistic community.