The City of Innovation: Balancing Growth with Cultural Preservation in San Francisco
San Francisco is a cultural and financial centre of the western United States and one of the country’s most cosmopolitan and diverse cities
Cultural Heritage
San Francisco was founded in 1776 as part of Spain’s mission to convert the area’s Native American inhabitants to Catholicism. It was briefly under Mexican control during the mid-19th century. The city’s economy flourished during the Gold Rush of 1849 and the advent of railways. Since the mid-20th century, San Francisco has gained global renown as a hub for counterculture. In the 1950s, it was the epicentre of the Beat poets’ movement. The 1960s Bay Area music scene featured iconic bands like The Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane, which achieved international fame. In 1967, the Haight-Ashbury neighbourhood became a gathering place for hippies during the Summer of Love.
Concurrently, the Castro neighbourhood became known for one of America’s earliest LGBTQ communities. In 1977, Harvey Milk, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, became the first openly gay individual to be elected to public office in California. San Francisco is also one of the most racially and ethnically diverse American cities, with a historic Chinatown dating back to the 19th century and the Mission district serving as a hub for Latino and Chicano arts and culture.
Today, San Francisco continues to be one of the cities with the highest concentration of artists and arts organisations per capita in the United States. Its vibrant creative and cultural scene attracts tourists from around the world. In 2017, the city welcomed 25.5 million visitors, with 40% staying overnight. Cultural tourism alone generated $1.7 billion in visitor spending.
Many of the city’s cultural institutions are clustered around its Civic Centre, including the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Centre. This expansive complex boasts nearly 7,000 seats spread across multiple venues and serves as the home for the San Francisco Ballet, San Francisco Opera, and San Francisco Symphony. Several major museums in the city have recently undergone extensive renovations, with the ten-story expansion of SFMoMA completed in 2016, making it America’s largest modern and contemporary art museum at 170,000 square feet of exhibition space. San Francisco takes pride in its pluralistic, localised arts scene, where world-renowned arts institutions coexist alongside deeply rooted community-based arts organisations.
Embracing Change
San Francisco is celebrated for its intimate, walkable neighbourhoods and historic low-rise architecture. However, these features that contribute to its appeal also place stress on its infrastructure. Between 2005 and 2017, the city’s population grew by 135,517, an 18% increase. Yet, only 33,780 new housing units were constructed during the same period. Consequently, San Francisco’s housing prices remain among the highest in the United States. The influence of nearby Silicon Valley has propelled the city into the technology and start-up culture spotlight. In a 2015 UNESCO study, San Francisco was ranked fourth globally for its concentration of creative talent.
Role of Policymaker
Recent structural changes in local government are affecting the future cultural funding of San Francisco. The dissolution of California’s Redevelopment Agency has resulted in the transfer of various cultural assets, both buildings and artworks, to the City. Many of these assets lack budgets for ongoing maintenance costs. In 2013, the allocation of Hotel Tax funding for arts and culture was revoked due to a legal challenge.
The Future
In a 2015 UNESCO study, San Francisco was ranked fourth globally for its concentration of creative talent. While Silicon Valley has attracted many highly skilled, affluent hi-tech workers to the area, its economic dominance has also raised concerns about the homogenisation of the city’s alternative culture and the marginalisation of communities of colour. The shortage of affordable housing is leading to outmigration and the displacement of artists from San Francisco, a concern for city administration.
Images copyright © Getty Images / Canva; City of San Francisco
