Leeds and the Northern Arts Prize

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to look at the nature of the relationship between the marketing of the contemporary visual arts, cultural tourism and city and urban regeneration. This exploratory study of the marketing of the contemporary visual arts in Leeds has, as its background narrative, the emergence of BritArt.

Design/methodology/approach

The growth of contemporary visual arts provides the context for a case study of the Northern Art Prize, which was first awarded in 2007.

Findings

The study found a number of factors for success that can aid urban renewal and city regeneration. Private sector marketing expertise levered into the management of the project was one critical success factor. Another was that private sector funding freed up marketers and artists and allowed risk-taking. Participants highlighted a lack of vision for the contemporary visual arts in the city and region and a strong desire for new collaborative working and new governance structures for the delivery of arts marketing and cultural tourism.

Originality/value

The Northern Art Prize offers much for the marketing of contemporary visual arts, cultural tourism, city branding and urban renewal. Investing in and marketing of the arts is argued to serve as a stimulus that can bring a range of benefits for the business and wider community. Marketing, especially arts marketing, can help deliver social, economic and urban regeneration.

Citation

Jones, B. and Beresford, S. (2014), "Leeds and the Northern Arts Prize", Journal of Place Management and Development, Vol. 7 No. 3, pp. 247-258. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPMD-11-2012-0040