Creating Austin : making visible the goals and norms of cultural planning

textThe practice of cultural planning proceeds largely in the absence of discussion regarding its purpose, norms and goals, either in academic literature or among its practitioners. This paper seeks to uncover the norms and goals of cultural planning, as understood by cultural planners working in Austin, TX, through a series of interviews with these individuals. Interviews also brought to light cultural planners’ understandings of the function of art in communities. Ultimately, little connection was found between cultural planners’ understandings of the function of art in communities and the norms and goals of cultural planning. It is argued herein that these two conversations must be closely linked and that cultural planner’s understandings of what art can and should do in communities must form the basis for the goals and norms of cultural planning practice.Architectur