The commercial transformation of urban cultural and artistic spaces in the process of gentrification

Abstract

Against the backdrop of China's urbanization moving towards high-quality development, gentrification, as an important path of urban renewal, is driving the transformation of old industrial areas, historical districts, and other spaces that carry urban memories into cultural and artistic spaces that combine artistic attributes and consumer functions. Commercialization is precisely the core driving force supporting the implementation of this transformation. This article focuses on the driving logic, practical difficulties, and optimization paths of the commercialization transformation of cultural and artistic spaces in the process of gentrification through literature review and typical case analysis. Research has found that the "directional force" guided by policies, the "driving force" of capital inflows, and the "traction force" of middle-class consumption have jointly promoted transformation, but problems such as dilution of cultural authenticity and weakening of spatial publicness have also emerged in the process; The "micro renovation" of Yongqingfang in Guangzhou and the "resident participatory operation" of Xiaohezhi Street in Hangzhou provide feasible examples for balancing commercial value and cultural protection. The full text of the case studies and data are sourced from official government reports, academic research, and authoritative media public information, which are authentic and traceable, in order to provide practical references for the sustainable development of urban cultural spaces.