Art, cities and social enterprise

Abstract

This paper explores the potential role of art-based social enterprises in contributing to sustainable urban development. It considers the examples of two social enterprises on opposite sides of the globe, and with contrasting relations to the “urban”; the Pacific Women’s Weaving Circle in the heart of inner-city Melbourne, Australia and Dzidefo Women’s Cooperative which traverses the rural context of Kpando, Ghana, with urban markets in Africa and the USA. Both enterprises use the vehicle of art to create opportunities for communities facing economic and social hardship. This paper approaches the field of social enterprise with a cross-disciplinary perspective that combines empirical, art historical and cultural studies methodologies to provide a deeper and more nuanced understanding of how communities manage the complexities of simultaneously pursuing economic, artistic and social development goals. At the point of rapid growth in this field, it considers the conditions for success, and potential risks, of art-based social enterprises in different geographic and urban contexts internationally.