Le Blanc A. Cultural districts, a new strategy for regional development? The South-East Cultural District in Sicily, Regional Studies. The industrialization of cultural production and a strong trend for the development of regional networks have recently led to the creation of new spatial and economic forms called 'cultural districts'. However, these new economic systems rely on very different geographical bases, types of products, and developmental processes. In Italy, the first cultural district was created in 2004 to foster the preservation of cultural heritage and boost tourist development in the late Baroque cities of the so-called Val di Noto in south-east Sicily. The main objective of the district is to support local socio-economic de...