Cultural Mapping

Cities are associated with their iconic cultural landmarks, from famous art institutions to often visited historic sites. Major cities often have several beautiful museums or concert halls; New York is known for its sheer number of venerated institutions, frequented by tourists and locals alike. However, it would be reductive and bizarre to characterize the entire city’s culture based on large, well-known and well-funded places. Small galleries, warehouse performance spaces, neighborhood businesses and corner stores, public markets, and culture expressed on the streets are also essential to the city’s amalgamated culture, which are found in every neighborhood, not just the ones frequented by tourists.

Cultural asset mapping is a way that cities and regions can understand the complex ecosystem of venues, galleries, businesses and public spaces that contribute to their larger civic culture. Specifically, it involves the representation of culture and cultural sites of value, spatially represented to an individual city or region.