The entrepreneurial model of cultural policies and the destination branding: an analysis based on the film Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Abstract

The literature on the governance of cultural policy in Barcelona has revealed different political and social tensions arising from the use of local culture for the purpose of creating a city brand. However, these studies have not focused on the rationales behind this process nor on its implications for the models of local cultural policy in the cinematographic field. With the aim of advancing in the understanding of the modes of relationship between brand and cultural policy, in this article we analyze one of the cultural branding strategies developed by the city: the public activity around the film Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Through the analysis of political relations and the objectives behind this project, this article reveals the governmental instrumentalization of the city's cultural heritage in order to strengthen and promote a global tourism-oriented brand.