CREATIVE CITY AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT - COMPETITIVENESS THROUGH CULTURE. SIBIU IN THE CONTEXT OF UNESCO CREATIVE CITIES NETWORK

The present context seems to indicate that one of the major drivers for cities’ economic development is human creativity, expressed through the production and consumption of unique cultural experiences. Consequently, academic literature presents and debates the creative city concept as an urban complex in which various cultural activities are an integrant element that contributes to the well function of economic and social systems. Creative cities work as centres that explore cultural experiences in favour of residents and visitors, by presenting cultural patrimony goods or through their cultural activities in the theatre and visual arts field. These facts have led to the establishment of an institutionalized framework, UNESCO Creative Cities Network, which facilitates the development of cultural groups, know-how, experience and good practices transfer, with the aim of promoting local economic and social development through creative industries. Our paper presents positive experiences of several creative cities from the United Kingdom, with the purpose of identifying the advantages generated by the UNESCO Creative Cities Network membership. Moreover, we analyse the possibility for the city of Sibiu, the European Cultural Capital in 2007, to become a member of this Network, due to its strengths and opportunities that might be highlighted in an urban development context.