Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES), the Creative and Cultural Sector, and the influence they have on Placemaking and Community Resilience in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada

Keywords: Cultural Ecosystem Services, Creative and Cultural Sector, Placemaking, Community Resilience
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract

Abstract

Creative activity, such as the visual arts, performance arts, and literary arts, offers significant advantages to the social, cultural, environmental, and economic resiliency of local communities. While creative places were once considered exclusive to high-population, urban centres, there is increasing attention extended to the existence and undervaluation of creativity within smaller and remote places. These peripheral regions are characteristically abundant in natural amenities, and often exhibit a relationship between nature and local arts and culture. As a result, creative activity offers unique insights into how cultural ecosystem services (CES) exist and function in remote communities.

The following investigation focuses on Prince Rupert, Canada; a small coastal city situated in northern British Columbia’s coastal temperate rainforest. The examination employs a qualitative case study approach to investigate how Prince Rupert’s creative and cultural sector and CES influence local placemaking and community resilience. Data for this study was collected from two methods: 1) fourteen semi-structured interviews with Prince Rupert’s artists, makers and leaders, and 2) eight textual documents that portray or describe activities or products related to Prince Rupert’s creative and cultural sector (e.g., visitor guide, provincial arts and culture report, planning documents). Findings highlight the opportunities and resources that CES provide for creative activity, with associated benefits that extend beyond aesthetic values. Given the dynamic nature of resilience in remote communities, and the rich conceptual tool that is offered by CES, this research presents a unique perspective on the role of the creative and cultural sector in a small, remote Canadian city.