On 17 and 18 September 2009, an international symposium on the comeback of former textile cities will
be organised, as part of the 200 years city rights’ anniversary celebrations of Tilburg. The
symposium is intended for politicians and governors of the participating cities, scholars, policy
makers, urban planners, property developers and representatives of intermediary organisations. The goal
is to contribute to the discussion about the strategies that can be used for the transformation of
former textile cities such as Tilburg. Initiator is the mayor of Tilburg, Mr. Ruud Vreeman. Polis
students are involved in the project through their research and fieldwork projects (see webpage: The
Projects).
Parallel to the symposium, a photo exposition will be organised, which will subsequently make a trip
along the participating textile cities. A scientific publication will be published in the framework of
the symposium (in Dutch and in English) as well as a catalogue for the (travelling) exhibition.
Place of event: the auditorium of the new entrance building to the Audax Textile Museum Tilburg
(maximum number of participants: 120).
All over Europe, cities are faced with the challenge of using cultural resources to re-position their
city in an increasingly culturally and economically diversified European space. Related to this is a
clear recognition of the growing importance of cultural resources for economic and community
development. This produces new opportunities and challenges for local cultural planning and management.
In order to fully exploit the innovative and supportive role of culture in European urban development,
it will be necessary to develop a new socially and culturally sensitive professionalism, able to cross
the boundaries between the arts, design, urban and spatial planning, public policy and the market,
artistic creativity and cultural management.
The MA in European Urban Cultures offers a specialist programme aimed at graduate students from Europe
and elsewhere with undergraduate degrees in subject areas such as the social sciences; cultural and
leisure studies; art, design and architecture; urban theory and planning; cultural marketing and
management. The course is also targeted at professionals and administrators eager for the latest
experiences, ideas and insights in urban cultural policy.
