Introduction : the rise and rise of culture-led urban regeneration

British government has come to recognise the value of cultural investment to urban regeneration. The clearest illustration of the seriousness with which the British government has sought to promote a culture-led agenda for cities is the Core Cities initiative, set up to work in partnership with government and other key stakeholders to promote the role of the cities as the drivers of regional and national economic growth and to create internationally competitive regions. The suggestion here is that cities are the key drivers of economic change and that culture should play a key role in this process. Article focused on understanding the impact of culture-led regeneration in a way that provides a more balanced understanding of its pros and cons.