Urban transformations in creative cities: a systematic review on gentrification and creativity

Abstract

This article presents a systematic literature review on gentrification in the context of creative cities, understood as a process that transforms lower-income neighborhoods into more valued areas, often resulting in the displacement of local communities. Using the Bibliometrix package, operationalized in R/RStudio with the Biblioshiny interface, an initial sample of 265 articles indexed in the Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus databases was analyzed, covering a 21-year period (2003-2024). As its main scientific contribution, the study systematizes the international body of research by identifying and organizing four central analytical axes that structure the contemporary debate on gentrification in creative cities, while also proposing a critical research agenda focused on examining the contradictions between urban development, creativity, and social justice. The results indicate that, although creative city policies are often promoted as drivers of economic development and social inclusion, in practice they tend to prioritize investors’ interests, contributing to the marginalization of existing residents. The study concludes that it is necessary to rethink urban policies to ensure that urban regeneration processes are more equitable and sustainable, effectively incorporating the needs of local communities.

Keywords: creative cities; smart cities; gentrification; urban creativity; systematic literature review.