# Cities which are considered hubs of art and culture **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 9, 2016, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-which-are-considered-hubs-of-art-and-culture/774253 "2016-12-09T03:54:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2016, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-which-are-considered-hubs-of-art-and-culture/774253/1 "2016-12-09T03:54:28Z")
As an American, Los Angeles and New York City are by far the two biggest cities for art and culture. There are other cities that contribute art and culture (Seattle, Boston, Chicago, etc) but not on the scale of the big two. So what cities in other nations are their hubs for this? The only one I can name off the top of my head is Paris France. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2016, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-which-are-considered-hubs-of-art-and-culture/774253/2 "2016-12-09T04:28:17Z")
Beyond the ones you listed: London (particularly for theater) Milan (particularly for fashion) Vienna ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2016, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-which-are-considered-hubs-of-art-and-culture/774253/3 "2016-12-09T04:52:12Z")
Is Los Angeles considered a hub for art and culture? I always thought there was a snobbish disregard for Los Angeles; that it was the center for popular entertainment but not for art and culture. ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2016, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-which-are-considered-hubs-of-art-and-culture/774253/4 "2016-12-09T05:49:36Z")
Generally these would be capitals, in Europe Berlin, Munich, Rome, Edinburgh, Moscow, Madrid etc. are all as or more important as those mentioned. Having museums, gracious streets, handsome statuary, the remnants of pre-20th century architecture helps. And accessible earlier art helps foster modern arts for what they are worth. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2016, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-which-are-considered-hubs-of-art-and-culture/774253/5 "2016-12-09T16:35:58Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Is Los Angeles considered a hub for art and culture? I always thought there was a snobbish disregard for Los Angeles; that it was the center for popular entertainment but not for art and culture. That is is basically what I was thinking. LA is a hub for the entertainment industry (movies, TV, pop music), but I don’t believe it’s considered a particularly great city for our more highbrow art and culture. I’d rank Chicago above LA when it comes to theater, opera, and fine arts, although my perspective may be skewed as I’ve spent a lot more time in Chicago and know people who’ve worked in the arts there. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2016, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-which-are-considered-hubs-of-art-and-culture/774253/6 "2016-12-09T16:40:45Z")
Not mentioned yet: Hong Kong Barcelona Beijing Tokyo Istanbul San Francisco Jerusalem Washington DC St. Petersburg ETA: I would put all of these above LA. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2016, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-which-are-considered-hubs-of-art-and-culture/774253/7 "2016-12-09T21:09:39Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Not mentioned yet: > > Hong Kong > Barcelona > Beijing > Tokyo > Istanbul > San Francisco > Jerusalem > Washington DC > St. Petersburg > > ETA: I would put all of these above LA. Not Jerusalem - Tel Aviv is Israel’s indisputable cultural center. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2016, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-which-are-considered-hubs-of-art-and-culture/774253/8 "2016-12-09T22:28:00Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Is Los Angeles considered a hub for art and culture? I always thought there was a snobbish disregard for Los Angeles; that it was the center for popular entertainment but not for art and culture. When I said art, I thought it was common knowledge that I meant movies about people fucking and blowing stuff up. I’m not sure how this thread turned into a thread about museums. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2016, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-which-are-considered-hubs-of-art-and-culture/774253/9 "2016-12-09T22:40:31Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > When I said art, I thought it was common knowledge that I meant movies about people fucking and blowing stuff up. I’m not sure how this thread turned into a thread about museums. Oh, okay, I’d call that show business rather than art and culture. But yes, Los Angeles is definitely a hub for that. Other major hubs for the entertainment industry: Hong Kong, Kano, Mumbai, and Rio De Janeiro. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2016, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-which-are-considered-hubs-of-art-and-culture/774253/10 "2016-12-09T22:59:09Z")
There’s the [Bilbao Guggenheim](http://c1038.r38.cf3.rackcdn.com/group1/building1314/media/media_29452.jpg) in Spain, also. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2016, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-which-are-considered-hubs-of-art-and-culture/774253/11 "2016-12-10T15:35:25Z")
Two smaller ones I can think of are Santa Fe, New Mexico and Ubud, on the Indonesian island of Bali. EDIT: And how could I forget Hoi Anh, Vietnam and maybe even Pokhara, Nepal. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2016, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-which-are-considered-hubs-of-art-and-culture/774253/12 "2016-12-10T16:36:57Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > There’s the [Bilbao Guggenheim](http://c1038.r38.cf3.rackcdn.com/group1/building1314/media/media_29452.jpg) in Spain, also. And if the lines are too long, hop across the street and go two blocks up to the art museum. The paintings tend to be on the small side but include among other things a couple of Grecos. San Sebastián/Donosti, about one hour away, holds several important festivals every year. Gijón, Barcelona and Sitges hold conventions or festivals related to comic books, fantasy, science fiction or terror which draw crowds from around the globe. Like so many things in Spain, it isn’t so much that we have one place that’s “the place to be” as multiple places/times to be depending on what exactly you’re interested in. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-which-are-considered-hubs-of-art-and-culture/774253/13 "2016-12-12T03:51:43Z")
ETA: never mind. Read first, then post! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-which-are-considered-hubs-of-art-and-culture/774253/14 "2016-12-12T09:36:14Z")
IMHO, All of Australia is far to parochial to have any general consensus about where the hub of “art and culture” are. Except that taswegians generally agree that it is somewhere else (and MONA came as something of a surprise to them). And it is generally agreed that Sydney is the trough and money pit. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-which-are-considered-hubs-of-art-and-culture/774253/15 "2016-12-12T15:43:49Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > And if the lines are too long, hop across the street and go two blocks up to the art museum. The paintings tend to be on the small side but include among other things a couple of Grecos. > > San Sebastián/Donosti, about one hour away, holds several important festivals every year. Gijón, Barcelona and Sitges hold conventions or festivals related to comic books, fantasy, science fiction or terror which draw crowds from around the globe. Like so many things in Spain, it isn’t so much that we have one place that’s “the place to be” as multiple places/times to be depending on what exactly you’re interested in. You can spend several weeks just going to cathedrals like Seville, and castles like the Alhambra and the Alcazar. I didn’t see mention of Florence, Italy but may have missed it. It has the Uffizi Museum and the Pitti Palace/Museum. The Uffizi has some truly glorious statuary. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-which-are-considered-hubs-of-art-and-culture/774253/16 "2016-12-16T04:45:03Z")
Wasn’t Aleppo considered a cultural hub before the present troubles? ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-which-are-considered-hubs-of-art-and-culture/774253/17 "2016-12-16T04:51:41Z")
Beirut used to be an arts and culture center. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-which-are-considered-hubs-of-art-and-culture/774253/18 "2016-12-16T09:56:23Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > You can spend several weeks just going to cathedrals like Seville, and castles like the Alhambra and the Alcazar. _Which_ Alcázar? 🙂 The most famous ones are Segovia, Seville and Toledo, but we’ve got more. ---
**Author:** ![JustinC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justinc/32/8083_2.png) [@JustinC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustinC)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2016, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-which-are-considered-hubs-of-art-and-culture/774253/19 "2016-12-17T18:15:16Z")
Vienna, Madrid, London, Budapest, Prague, Barcelona, Beirut, Istanbul, Seoul. In that order. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2016, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-which-are-considered-hubs-of-art-and-culture/774253/20 "2016-12-18T07:18:31Z")
Penang, off the Andaman Coast of peninsular Malaysia, is considered an art hub. That’s an island state though, so maybe its capital, George Town, would better qualify for this thread. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-which-are-considered-hubs-of-art-and-culture/774253.md?page=2)