THE CASE OF LOUVRE-LENS: REGIONAL REGENERATION THROUGH CULTURAL INNOVATION

The principal aim of this paper is to investigate the relocalization process of the world famous Louvre museum into an ex-coal mining region in the northern France. The further analysis has shown that the project is embedded into the wider regional cultural innovation policy. This policy, apart from development of Louvre-Lens museum, also focuses on development of the cultural offer in the ex-coal mining zone through the WHS (World Heritage Status), as well as in Lille-the former (2004) European capital of culture. All three cultural attractions are located in the region of Nord-Pas-de-Calais. An important part of the regional policy was the promotion and active development of cooperation between all three regional cultural partners, as well as active involvement with various cultural and tourism stakeholders. The development pursued primarily social and cultural objectives attempting to revitalize an ex-coal mining region which suffered high unemployment rate due to deindustrialization.