How cities can support independent culture
The cultural life of a city is often maintained by people operating below the level of official visibility. Public strategy should make that work easier to continue, not merely easier to market.
Map the infrastructure you already have
Before launching a cultural district or destination campaign, a city can listen to the artists, venues, shops, studios, collectives, and informal organizers already making things happen. A map is useful when it reveals relationships and needs, not when it turns culture into a ranked list.
Fund continuity, not only moments
One-off festivals create visibility, but independent culture also needs rehearsal rooms, affordable workspaces, small venues, artist fees, residency support, and time. Governments can design grants and procurement around continuity, access, and local decision-making.
Use measurement carefully
Good cultural policy can measure participation, payment, access, local spillovers, and whether a program remains useful after the launch. It should not pretend that every human relationship can be reduced to a dashboard or that attendance alone proves cultural value.
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Adapted from Shona’s public writing on cultural infrastructure, Cape Town field notes, and Countercult’s participatory mapping approach.
This piece was informed by Shona Neary’s writing, conversations, and thinking around independent culture, artists, and place.
editorial process: Our Journals are pulled from our writings over the years to get information out as quickly and as widely as possible, and to get to what matters: finding each other and claiming our seat in the circular economy. Some ideas overlap between Shona Neary's work on cultural infrastructure and their artist practice as Sketchy Shona. AI is a tool for infrastructure, not for creating Journal writing or artists' work. We welcome original reporting and pitches from journalists and independent publishers.