Informal Learning and Cultural Identity in Chengdu Eastern Suburb Memory

Information from the abstract

In the context of post-industrial urban transformation and rapid digitalization, public cultural spaces are increasingly functioning as important environments for informal learning, cultural participation, and community engagement. This study examines the Chengdu Eastern Suburb Memory Art Parks Cluster in China as a case of industrial heritage regeneration and explores how public cultural participation contributes to informal learning and the reconstruction of cultural identity in the post-media era. Drawing upon theories of informal learning, experiential learning, cultural identity, and ecological thought, the study adopts a qualitative case study approach based on field observation, semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and visual documentation conducted between 2023 and 2025. The findings reveal that Eastern Suburb Memory has evolved beyond a conventional industrial heritage site into a multidimensional public learning environment integrating industrial memory, community arts participation, ecological awareness, and inclusive cultural engagement. Informal learning occurs through oral history activities, industrial heritage study tours, public cultural programs, ecological initiatives, volunteer participation, and community-based arts education, enabling visitors and local residents to engage actively with historical memory, social interaction, and cultural identity through experiential and participatory learning processes. The study further demonstrates that inclusive arts programs and community cultural activities contribute to emotional well-being, social cohesion, and intergenerational communication, providing meaningful alternatives to the social fragmentation increasingly associated with algorithm-driven digital environments. This study argues that regenerated industrial heritage spaces possess significant educational potential beyond formal institutional settings and suggests that Eastern Suburb Memory represents an important example of how public cultural spaces can foster informal learning, cultural continuity, community belonging, and sustainable urban cultural development in the post-media era.

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Related topics: Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation · Urban Development and Cultural Heritage · Museums and Cultural Heritage