The Philadelphia Barrio : The Arts, Branding, and Neighborhood Transformation

How does a so-called bad neighborhood go about changing its reputation? Is it simply a matter of improving material conditions or picking the savviest marketing strategy? What kind of role can or should the arts play in that process? Does gentrification always entail a betrayal of a neighborhood’s roots? Tackling these questions and offering a fresh take on the dynamics of urban revitalization, __The Philadelphia Barrio__ examines one neighborhood’s fight to erase the stigma of devastation. Frederick F. Wherry shows how, in the predominantly Latino neighborhood of Centro de Oro, entrepreneurs and community leaders forged connections between local businesses and cultural institutions to rebrand a place once nicknamed the Badlands. Artists and performers negotiated with government organizations and national foundations, Wherry reveals, and took to local galleries, stages, storefronts, and street parades in a concerted, canny effort to reanimate the spirit of their neighborhood. Complicating our notions of neighborhood change by exploring the ways the process is driven by local residents, __The Philadelphia Barrio__ presents a nuanced look at how city dwellers can make commercial interests serve the local culture, rather than exploit it. Culture At Work -- The Arts, Branding, And Neighborhood Transformation -- Latin Soul, Latin Flavor -- Performing The Authenticity Of Place -- The Art World Of The Barrio -- Sources Of Attraction And Motivation -- Ringing The Registers -- Entrepreneurial Dreams -- Stigma, Status, And Staging -- The History Of A Reputation -- Character On Parade -- Cultural Constraints On Neighborhood Branding -- Redemption And Revitalization In The Barrio. Frederick F. Wherry ; With Photographs By Tony Rocco. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.