Embracing Cultural Capital: Civic Entrepreneurs Transforming Community

This study explores how civic entrepreneurs engage in a process of creative placemaking by constructing narratives based on cultural capital and using those narratives to leverage other forms of capital to enhance or alter a sense of place that leads to community transformation. A series of case studies were conducted in Lowell, Massachusetts; San Jose, California; and the West Oak Lane neighborhood of Philadelphia, each demonstrating significant change as a result of the efforts by civic entrepreneurs. Case study methods included in-depth interviews with civic entrepreneurs and key stakeholders, literary and archival review, and direct observation. Main conclusions suggest that in order for successful placemaking to occur it requires a team of civic entrepreneurs, a narrative construction based on cultural capital and community values, and the leverage of political capital. Each case used festivals as a catalyst for change. These events provided a voice to many marginalized in a community change process. The notion of "shadow cities" emerged from the data as each of the case study locations experienced an adverse impact from a more dominant regional city. Through the process of placemaking the impact of the shadow city was minimized.