Culture and Sustainability in European Cities

This book reveals in a comparative perspective the unique profile of European cities as generators of sustainable development, and the special contribution of culture to this process. It addresses both a deficit of attention to the role of small and medium-sized cities in European sustainable development, and an underestimation of the role of culture, arts and creativity for integrated development of the city as a prerequisite for urban sustainability. On the basis of a broad collection of case studies and good practices throughout Europe, representing a variety of regionally specific cultural models of sustainable development, the book investigates how participative culture, community arts, and more generally, creativity of civic imagination contribute to the goal of a sustainable future for small and medium-sized cities.