Arts & International Affairs: Volume 2, Issue 1 | Page 128

desire for economic stimulus is an effort at (re)branding. In order to build
a brand, there must be a narrative, ideally of distinctiveness, which is then
disseminated through “brand channels,” like the media (Plaza et al. ����).
Bilbao clearly sought to fashion a different identity that would distance it
from declining industries and terrorist presence. Abu Dhabi is arguably
seeking through its development of the cultural district on Saadiyat Island
to “reshape the ‘image’ of the Arab world” so that it includes “world-class”
cultural hubs (Ajana ����:���). Verena Formanek, senior project manager for
the Abu Dhabi Guggenheim, said “Most of the people visiting us today don’t
know the difference between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, so we needed to work
with the Guggenheim brand. No one in the world would have looked at Abu
Dhabi without that name” (quoted in Batty ����). The Abu Dhabi Tourism
Authority describes Saadiyat Island as “a destination everyone in the world
of art and culture would have to visit, annually and more than once, by
building a series of permanent institutions—museums, performing art
centers, exhibition halls, educational institutions in the arts—that through
its collections, architecture and programs will become one of the greatest
concentrations of cultural experience anywhere in the world” (cited in
Thompson ����:��). Las Vegas sought to rebrand itself, through the museum
satellites as well as high end retailers and top-chef restaurants, as a destination
for tourists who may not be attracted by the gaming industry. In Amsterdam
and Helsinki, supporters have invoked a version of the branding motivation,
suggesting that the arrival of a Hermitage or Guggenheim could reinforce or
augment their brands as European cultural centers. The Bilbao experience
suggests that allying with a globally recognized museum can allow a place
to establish an international reputation quickly (Ajana ����:���), however
others have noted that this was as much about Bilbao as it was about the
Guggenheim—a unique constellation of factors came together in that place
at that time to create the outcomes that Bilbao experienced (Bathurst ����).
In addition to these elements, we might also point to the opportunity for
art partnerships to create opportunities for dialogue. “Equally important
to the rationales of these projects is the desire to create a bridge between
Western and Arabic art and a platform for retelling the histories and stories
of the region, some of which have remained undocumented so far” (Ajana
����:���). Even Helsinki is being sold in this way. In the Guggenheim’s
recent revised proposal to the City of Helsinki, they write, “Residents of
Finland and international visitors alike would become active participants
in the exchange of relevant contemporary ideas within an expanding global
arts community” (SRG Foundation ����:��). It further notes that, “Finland
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