Planning cultural infrastructure in the multicultural “city within the city” : understanding attitudes and perceptions of cultural spaces of young adults from Indian and Chinese backgrounds in the City of Parramatta

Abstract

Global peripheral cities are increasingly identified as strategic nodes for metropolitan areas to develop cultural capital. Within Greater Sydney, the City of Parramatta is being imagined as a new centre for art and culture. While the City plans to invest significantly in cultural infrastructure, less is known about its diverse population’s needs. The proposed research investigates how cultural infrastructure in the City of Parramatta might meet the needs of young adults from Indian and Chinese backgrounds: two groups that make up a growing part of the City’s population. First, I use spatial analysis via choreme and Geographic Information System (GIS) to explore the City of Parramatta and its cultural ecosystem. I then analyse the official cultural strategy of the City using policy analysis, and explore the perspectives of citizens’ experience of cultural spaces through interviews and participatory mapping. The approach – comparing maps and government policy with local resident perceptions – aims to broaden understanding of how current and proposed infrastructure relates to the demands and needs of those residents