Cultural policy studies tends to privilege the national (and international) as the primary site at which cultural policy is enacted, and focuses on the ‘local’ as a case study of practice, rather than a site of policy in its own right.

1. Reflecting on Place and the Local.- 2. Bridging the Trust Divide: Understanding the Role of ‘Localism’ and the ‘Local’ in Cultural Policy.- 3. Scale, the Local and Cultural Policy’s Geographies.- 4. Scaling Heritage: Situated Policy in an Expanded Ontology.- 5. The Goals of American Cultural Plans.- 6. Community Management of Local Cultural Assets: Implications for Inequality and Publicness.- 7. Devolved Responsibility: English Regional Creative Industries Policy and Local Industrial Strategies.- 8. Reclaiming Place: Cultural Initiatives in Cretan Villages as Enablers of Citizen Involvement, Local Development and Repopulation.- 9. The Public Administration of ‘Place’: Labels and Meaning in Local Government Arts Development in the Irish Urban-Fringe.- 10. From Streets to Silos: Urban Art Forms in Local Rural Government and the Challenge of Rural Development.- 11. “Policies Aren’t Pieces of Paper”:Tussles and Tactics in Action-oriented and Agile Cultural Policy Research.

This Open Access edited collection calls for a greater understanding of ‘the local’ within the ways the arts, culture and creative practices are governed, promoted, regulated, resourced and valued. Cultural policy studies tends to privilege the national (and international) as the primary site at which cultural policy is enacted, and focuses on the ‘local’ as a case study of practice, rather than a site of policy in its own right. While this may make global policy transfer manageable for national policy agencies, it ignores the contingent relationships, diverse geographies and distinct identities of localities.This volume addresses this gap and is structured around three themes: disciplining the local, which examines key concepts from different academic fields of study; managing the local, which identifies policy approaches that engage with the idea of ‘the local’ in different ways; and practising the local, which offers case studies of how ‘local’ cultural policiesare being enacted in places of differing scale and geography.

“This timely volume begins to fill a gap in the literature on the local dimension of cultural policy. The book examines key conceptual debates, policy approaches and case studies from Australia, Greece, Ireland and South Africa. It is particularly valuable for its multidisciplinary scope and theoretical ambition, and for the originality of its discussion of the complex relationships between cultural policies at national and local level.” (Franco Bianchini Associate Director, Centre for Cultural Value, University of Leeds)“While the literature on cultural policy centres the national and international as key sites where policies are constructed and enacted, this book foregrounds the importance of the local level. It explores different conceptualizations of the local and draws on insights from different disciplines and case studies in a range of geographic contexts, to unpack how cultural policies are assembled, adapted, implemented, and contested in the local, atimely focus given its heightened importance during the pandemic. The insights generated in this collection will be crucial as cities try to imagine post-pandemic futures that are more just, equitable and resilient.” (Deborah Leslie, University of Toronto)“This refreshing collection demonstrates that not only is the local a critical site of cultural policy in its own right but understanding the framing and implementation of cultural policy at all levels of governance, including the local, is essential to appreciating the dynamics of this multifaceted policy domain. With its rich examples and interdisciplinary approach, Cultural Policy is Local is a valuable resource for students and scholars of cultural policy studies and a significant addition to the research field.” (Deborah Stevenson, Western Sydney University, Australia)

Provides a nuanced understanding of the role of place in arts, culture and creative practices Offers a re-appraisal of ‘the local’ as a way to address inequalities between locations Demonstrates the importance of local, situated and spatialised dimensions of cultural policy This book is open access, which means that you have free and unlimited access

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