ABSTRACT
Tracing the bridges – both theoretical and practical – between the instruments and mechanisms of global cultural governance and cultural planning practices at the local level is both stimulating and frustrating. Stimulating, because there appear to be growing links between what happens on the ground in cities and communities and what happens in forums such as UNESCO, the World Bank and the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). Frustrating, because these links are often indirect, the paths are usually circuitous and the degrees of influence are highly dependent upon placespecific contexts and cultural politics at the local level. Three main dynamics can be observed to be at play:
1. International agencies attempt to reach out to the local level through particular strategies and programmes. UNESCO is the most dominant player here, although public and private foundations that operate internationally are also very active (see below).
