Creative spaces and the local state in China: The case of Guangzhou's Redtory Art + Design Factory

•Multi-layered picture of creative space development in China.•Gradual evolution of new policies and institutions to govern creative spaces in Guangzhou.•Co-existence of well-regulated frameworks and particularistic exchanges.•Local decision-making highly dependent on the municipal level and political leaders.•Institutionalization of creative spaces rather fragmented.

Creative spaces can be regarded as significant visible outcomes of China's transition towards a knowledge-based economy. The aim of this paper is to analyze the process of building a framework to develop creative spaces in the southern mega-city Guangzhou and to provide further insights into the complex aspects of the local state. To this end, it presents an in-depth study of Guangzhou's Redtory Art + Design Factory. Redtory witnessed a unique development path: while it was initially merely tolerated as a creative space, it soon developed into one of the most prominent creative zones in southern China; presently, however, it is threatened with demolition. This analysis employs the concept of the “entrepreneurial state” developed by Jane Zheng. The results of the analysis suggest that a high degree of personalized coordination of key resources still prevails at the local level. This is nonetheless happening in spite of the gradual evolution of a regulatory framework governing creative spaces at the municipal level. This indicates that the institutionalization of creative spaces is in no way complete, but rather fragmented. Ultimately, this case-study indicates that the entrepreneurial local state and its policy-making are highly dependent on higher levels of the party-state.