Comments on: Detroit’s Offer to Creatives – Space, Food and Time http://www.michiganfuture.org/10/2009/detroits-offer-to-creatives-space-food-and-time/ Creating a Prosperous Michigan Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:55:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Lou Glazer http://www.michiganfuture.org/10/2009/detroits-offer-to-creatives-space-food-and-time/comment-page-1/#comment-139 Lou Glazer Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:10:10 +0000 http://www.michiganfuture.org/?p=433#comment-139 Case, There are three ways that where the creative class concentrates are thought to drive economic growth. (1) by creating their own businesses. As a group they are very entrepreneurial. A good proportion of them will create their own jobs/businesses wherever they choose to live and work. (2) by attracting businesses that are looking for creative talent. This is the notion that – because talent is the most important asset and the one in the shortest supply – businesses needing talent increasingly go to where the talent is, rather than the other way around. (3) by creating amenities/neighborhoods that college educated adults – particularly young – value they impact the location decisions of knowledge workers. Sure seems to be enough evidence that it matters to economic growth that it should be part of every state's/region's arsenal of economic development priorities. Case, There are three ways that where the creative class concentrates are thought to drive economic growth. (1) by creating their own businesses. As a group they are very entrepreneurial. A good proportion of them will create their own jobs/businesses wherever they choose to live and work. (2) by attracting businesses that are looking for creative talent. This is the notion that – because talent is the most important asset and the one in the shortest supply – businesses needing talent increasingly go to where the talent is, rather than the other way around. (3) by creating amenities/neighborhoods that college educated adults – particularly young – value they impact the location decisions of knowledge workers. Sure seems to be enough evidence that it matters to economic growth that it should be part of every state’s/region’s arsenal of economic development priorities.

]]> By: Matthew http://www.michiganfuture.org/10/2009/detroits-offer-to-creatives-space-food-and-time/comment-page-1/#comment-137 Matthew Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:47:52 +0000 http://www.michiganfuture.org/?p=433#comment-137 Valid question - what role can the creative class play in Detroit. I can share two additional points about why I think my experience with my friend this weekend is important. The first is the body of work by Richard Florida, the author who termed the phrase "creative class", and showed how this segment of the labor force is critical to a thriving economy. The following article in the <a href="http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2001/0205.florida.html" rel="nofollow">Washington Monthly</a> gives a good overview, including a "Creativity Index" by city that he linked with economic success. The key point is that you need creative types - i.e. people who can create music and computer programs - to thrive. The second is that downtown Detroit faces real struggles in attracting educated young talent and solving this issue, we think, is the most important thing that could start to return Michigan to prosperity. But, it is a chicken-egg problem - if more young people lived there, the amenities would follow, but without the amenities it is not attractive to most young people. We have to start somewhere in getting critical mass. The experience with my friend this weekend showed that it several attributes of Detroit that make it very attractive for people who want to pursue creative activity. In my mind, that is a place to start in getting more young people in Detroit. And, as a bonus, they are the type of people who do help in economic prosperity. Valid question – what role can the creative class play in Detroit. I can share two additional points about why I think my experience with my friend this weekend is important.

The first is the body of work by Richard Florida, the author who termed the phrase “creative class”, and showed how this segment of the labor force is critical to a thriving economy. The following article in the Washington Monthly gives a good overview, including a “Creativity Index” by city that he linked with economic success. The key point is that you need creative types – i.e. people who can create music and computer programs – to thrive.

The second is that downtown Detroit faces real struggles in attracting educated young talent and solving this issue, we think, is the most important thing that could start to return Michigan to prosperity. But, it is a chicken-egg problem – if more young people lived there, the amenities would follow, but without the amenities it is not attractive to most young people. We have to start somewhere in getting critical mass. The experience with my friend this weekend showed that it several attributes of Detroit that make it very attractive for people who want to pursue creative activity. In my mind, that is a place to start in getting more young people in Detroit. And, as a bonus, they are the type of people who do help in economic prosperity.

]]> By: Case Ernsting http://www.michiganfuture.org/10/2009/detroits-offer-to-creatives-space-food-and-time/comment-page-1/#comment-136 Case Ernsting Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:59:06 +0000 http://www.michiganfuture.org/?p=433#comment-136 Hi Matthew, Are there examples of other cities finding their revival through the "creative class"? Is the idea that this group can provide the foundation of a bigger, future revitalization? Hi Matthew,
Are there examples of other cities finding their revival through the “creative class”? Is the idea that this group can provide the foundation of a bigger, future revitalization?

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