Crafting regional cultural production : emergence, crisis and consolidation in the Gold Coast surfboard industry

Auteur(s) et Affiliation(s)



Description :
This article analyses the regional cultural production through emergence, crisis and consolidation in the Gold Coast surfboard industry. Firstly, it demonstrates that a regional cluster emerged in the 1960s fuelled by the growth of surfing, tourism, and by the needs of surfers for customised boards that suit their body size, surfing style and local wave conditions. Then, it shows that automation, increased competition from cheap imports, increasingly aggressive retail trade, and mistrust among board-makers, has threatened viability. It concludes that small-scale cultural production persists despite the volatility of the larger brands, geared instead around loyal customers who want hand-crafted boards made by shapers who they know and trust.


Type de document :
Article de périodique

Source :
Australian Geographer, issn : 0004-9182, 2013, vol. 44, n°. 4, p. 365-381, nombre de pages : 17, Références bibliographiques : 2 p.

Date :
2013

Editeur :
Pays édition : Australie, Sydney, Geographical Society of New South Wales