Economic evidence that creativity spurs growth

Artscape, a nonprofit in Toronto, Canada that develops both physical and virtual artist communities, felt the need to prove that the right buildings jumpstarted the economy around it.

So they documented the economic impact in the areas surrounding their projects, and here’s some of the not-so-surprising findings:

In Toronto, in the five years after Artscape development openings, one surrounding area had an increase of approximately $9M/year

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Keys to Brooklyn’s rise

As posted yesterday, affordability and transportation/convenience were long-time Brooklyn assets that did little for economic rejunevation until safety began to improve.  But how and why did these neighborhoods become safer?

As is more than well known by now, it was just a matter of time before the artists began moving in.  The number of designers increased 2.5 times from 1980 to 2000, while authors/writers more than doubled from 1990 to 2000.  Williamsburg, a

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A typical neighborhood scene at 2 am?

Depends on where you are.  This photo was taken at 2 am, last week Wednesday night/Thursday morning at The Diner in Adams Morgan, Washington DC.

Since evidence shows that the creative class drives the economy…

Question: Is your city attracting creatives?

Answer:

- Does it have a place like The Diner that looks like this at 2 am on a typical late Wednesday night?
- Is that venue an independent restaurant like this one, and not a Denny’s, IHop, or

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Small towns that ‘get’ the creative class

Some small towns that are looking to boost sagging economies and abandoned downtowns have committed to attracting the creatives. The results have been more than positive, as this on New York’s progressive small towns illustrates.

Within 10 years, Hudson’s neglected downtown Warren Street became a vibrant destination by establishing 19 galleries, and 40 restaurants and shops focused on the arts community. Since 2001, home value increased

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Why some cities prosper more than others

It’s quite simple really.  Cities prosper when companies create jobs.  Companies create jobs when they provide a far better service or product than any other in the world.  To do that, they need the best talent in the world.  The companies and cities (and countries) that ‘get this’ will be the eventual leaders, both economically and socially.  For instance, the most successful major league baseball teams attract talent from all over the world, while

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Florida’s sequel: Flight of the Creative Class

Richard Florida’s latest book, The Flight of the Creative Class: The New Global Competition for Talent just came out three days ago, the global-focused follow-up to his 2002 business best-seller, The Rise of the Creative Class: And How It’s Transforming Work, Leisure, Community and Everyday Life.

In his first book, Florida expounded on the “three T’s”: talent, technology and tolerance, as the means to creativity ultimately leading to economic

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When does creativity really happen in cities?

The Renaissance in Florence.  Silicon Valley.  Japan post WWII.  New York City at the turn of the century.  Paris and Impressionism.  Some rather extreme bursts of creativity over about 40 years at a time.  Coincidence?  Historian Peter Hall doesn’t think so, and outlines the common elements in his stellar book, Cities In Civilization.

1. Disorder. As Chris Gibbons, who pioneered economic gardening puts it, economic growth happens at the edge

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Creative Class listserv being formed

If you are involved in attracting the creative class to your city or project, you may want to join the newly formed creative class email listserv, sponsored by the Richard Florida Creativity Group and CoolTown Studios.  The focus will be on implementation of the creative class vision, with the ultimate purpose of expediting the transition from concept to reality.

Email me (see right column) to get on the listserv.  Both CoolTown Studios and the Richard

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Building a creative community (part 2)

Continuing yesterday’s blog, here’s the rest of Fast Company magazine’s rulesfor establishing a creative community.

6. Teach them a new language - The creative community needs to learn the ‘language’ of placemaking and economic development in real estate and economic terms (ie new urbanism, economic gardening, so that they can apply their market insight into the built environment.

7. Allow time for blue-sky thinking - This is the importance of third

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Resolutions for a new year, new community

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

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The first and only CoolTown-oriented regional leadership

In January 2003, the Federal Reserve Bank announced a new economic development initiative it sponsored to invest in New England’s “creative industries, a creative workforce and community life that is rich in creativity and cultural heritage.” Business, cultural and political leaders from each of New England’s states came together to establish the progressive regional industry association, the Creative Economy Council.

Why?  They

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Cities and the Creative Class

Cities and the Creative Class is for studious fans of Richard Florida’s best-seller, The Rise of the Creative Class.  It is a collection of the research that lead to ‘Rise’, ‘in full empirical detail and analysis the key premises on which the argument of Rise are based’.

It is also a primer for the highly-anticipated sequel that is coming out on March 15, 2005, The Flight of the Creative Class: Why America is Losing the Competition for Talent… and What We

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Rise of the Creative Class II

For anyone who doesn’t know Richard Florida, author of The Rise of the Creative Class, it is his market and economic research that largely qualifies signficant investment in CoolTowns.

Since being published in 2002 (with its sequel, The Flight of the Creative Class due in 2005), his work has helped either validate or inspire the creative mindsets of the mayors of Austin and Denver, the governor of Michigan, and the CEO of Hewlett-Packard, to name a few, to

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The Creating Cool conference: Part 2

The most inspiring person at the Creating Cool conference was the lunchtime keynote: Bill Strickland of the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild.

Here was a simple man with no money who established a center for excellence in job training, art and music production in “a black neighborhood in inner city Pittsburgh” as he reminded the audience repeatedly.  The incredible story behind the center is definitely worth the time to read.

Another great story told at

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