This book develops the first integrated, critical-historical examination of the terms, narratives and assumptions constructing present day notions of participation and value, and the relations between them. Histories of Cultural Participation, Values and Governance proposes a radical re-evaluation of these relationships, organized in two inter-related sections, on political discourses of participation and value, and on culture and governance. The essays collected here provide an in-depth historical understanding of the development of definitions, assumptions and beliefs around the nature and value of cultural participation, their place in contemporary cultural governance and exploitation in local socio-economic development strategies. They also bring a novel perspective to current policy, practice and scholarly debates on the connections between culture, place-making and the creative economy. As such, the essays provide vital historical insight that sheds light on contemporary issues of cultural participation, value and governance.

Showcases an interdisciplinary approach that will benefit academics in a wide variety of fields, as well as practitioners and policy makers

1. Introduction; Eleonora Belfiore and Lisanne Gibson.- 2. Towards a History of the Everyday; Andrew Miles.- 3. From 'access' to 'well-being': policy discourse and 'buzzwords of participation'; Eleonora Belfiore.- 4. Cultural value, citizenship and the creative economy; Justin O'Connor.- 5. History of Community Arts and Governance; Jane Milling.- 6. The Well-being - Culture relationship: a happy marriage of convenience?; Susan Oman.- 7. Culture and Economy: Governing Place Through Culture; Lisanne Gibson.- 8. Governing Leisure and Heritage?; Mark O'Neill.- 9. Calling participation to account: a recent history of cultural indicators; Catherine Bunting, Abigail Gilmore, Andrew Miles.- 10. Understanding the long history of the creative economy: commerce and the arts in the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society, 1781 to the present; Felicity James.- 11. Manaton and East Dartmoor Community Theatre and Dartmoor Wild Swimming: performing place and community in rural England; Kerrie Schaefer.- 12. The history of public parks as cultural policies for everyday participation; Abigail Gilmore and Patrick Doyle.- 13. How has Barnsley's cultural ecology been shaped?; Sarah Hughes.