The Cultural City page

The Cultural City

Cultural images of Boston range from its venerable arts and music institutions to the seamy underworld portrayed in the film The Departed. As in many cities, these polar extremes mask a rich spectrum of urban cultures.

Featuring Rebecca Ostriker (Arts Editor, The Boston Globe), Associate Professor Charles Merzbacher (Film, College of Communication) and Professor Merry White (Anthropology, College of Arts & Sciences), The Cultural City panel will explore the diversity and dynamism of culture in Boston and other cities, from neighborhood cultures to food, theatre, film, music, literature, and museums.

The Panel Conversation will be streamed online via the feed below:

Can urban culture be promoted in a manner that is true to a city’s roots and inclusive and accessible to all? Panelists will devote particular attention to how urban culture is defined and promoted, and the role culture serves urban economics, politics, and daily life. When do cities promote specific cultural resources, such as museums and symphonies, and when do they promote neighborhood cultures? Which facets of a city’s cultural reputation are “authentic” and which are manufactured?

Join us on Tuesday April 7th from 12:30pm-2:00pm at the Initiative on Cities, 75 Bay State Road. Complimentary lunch will be served starting at 12:15pm.