Hope you enjoyed your vacation.

Here’s a set of resolutions for building a creative community that sparks investment, vitality and positive growth around it when there is none to little to begin with, based on Fast Company’s magazine’s rules for establishing a creative community (at a smaller scale.)

1. Recruit for diversity, hire for philosophy - Start with a diverse group of risk-takers who relish the idea of initiating a new community of creativity and innovation.
2. Rehab the neighborhood - You are the product of your environment - it should inspire people, not depress people as so many of our neighborhoods subconsciously do.
3. Within limits, let them make the rules - Developers, city planners - let go of control just a little, huh?  If someone wants to paint their house red, that’s OK.
4. Keep their eyes on the prize - Have the new tenants be responsible for maintaining their creations rather than leaving the City stuck with all the boring stuff.
5. Feed their heads - Keep citizens aware of what other communities are doing successfully, even make it a friendly competition.

Part two tomorrow…