Associations and cultural democracy: a proposal of two ideal-types

Abstract

Between the financial crisis of 2007-2008 and the pandemic crisis of Covid-19, the Anjos neighborhood in Lisbon presented a particular concentration of public spaces offering concerts, exhibitions, dance classes, bars, etc. Many of these spaces are non-profit and promote cultural democracy thus fighting gentrification. From visits to the neighborhood, document analysis and interviews with board members, volunteers and other key actors, we identify two ideal-types of these spaces’ missions: the cultural-entertainment and the cultural-activist. We conclude by pointing out that both allow us henceforth to monitor the influence of the participation of these spaces in urban reconfiguration.