A social policy paradigm for the creative sector has the potential ...

From Creative Economy to Creative Society
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From Creative
to both the renewed prosperity of the city and the
inequitable social and geographic distribution of
its benefits.
Economy to
So what’s wrong? Public policy promoting the
creative economy has two serious flaws: one, a
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Creative Society
misperception of culture and creativity as a
product of individual genius rather than collective
activity; and, two, a willingness to tolerate social
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A social policy paradigm for the dislocation in exchange for urban vitality or
competitive advantage. In this brief, we recap
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creative sector has the potential current culture and revitalization research and
to address urban poverty as
policy and propose a new model—a neighborhood-
based creative economy—that has the potential
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well as urban vitality.
to move the 21st century city toward shared
prosperity and social integration.
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Mark J. Stern and Susan C. Seifert
The Creative Sector and
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Urban Policy
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Can the creative economy ameliorate urban
poverty? The contemporary U.S. city is witness to
The creative economy represents the latest wave
an increasing proportion of its residents denied
of interest in culture as a post-industrial urban
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active participation in the local economy, social
revitalization strategy. Beginning with the 1983
institutions, and broader civil society. While many
landmark study by the Port Authority of New
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a metropolis have weathered the transition from
York and New Jersey, economic impact studies
an industrial to an information-based economy,
have quantified the contribution of the nonprofit
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most urban neighborhoods bear the persistent
cultural sector to a regional economy based on the
physical and social manifestations of economic
multiplier effect of organizational and audience
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inequality and social exclusion.
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expenditures. In time, policy-makers realized that
Urban policy-makers generally agree that regional
economic impacts are magnified when bounded
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economic development and job growth are the
spatially. So the planned cultural district came
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solution to urban poverty and its associated blight
into vogue, along with the development of major
and pathology. The creative economy is one of
cultural facilities like museums or performing arts
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today’s most popular remedies for ailing cities.
centers, as catalysts for downtown revival.
What is the creative economy? According to
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Karen Davis, Arts & Business Council of Greater
The creative economy literature has examined
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Philadelphia President and CEO:
a wider set of industries in which “creativity”
is viewed as an asset and spur to productivity.
The creative economy is defined as
Studies by the Rand Corporation of the
the sum of economic activity arising
performing and media arts took the lead in
from a highly educated segment
treating nonprofit and commercial cultural firms
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of the workforce encompassing a
as a single sector. Richard Florida’s work—with
wide variety of creative individuals
its claims about the role of the “creative class” in

A c
—like artists, architects, computer
global competitive advantage—encouraged the
programmers, university professors
trend to treat nonprofit and for-profit firms as a
and writers from a diverse range
single sector and expanded definitions of culture
of industries such as technology,
to include design and related fields as part of the
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entertainment, journalism, finance,
creative economy.
high-end manufacturing and the arts.
The excitement among public and corporate
The logic is that attracting the “creative class” to
executives about the creative class has
the region will generate jobs and tax revenue,
overshadowed a growing literature on the
a trickle down of benefits to all citizens.
community benefits of the arts and culture. Like
Unfortunately, it appears that growth of the
the creative economy, the community-building
creative economy is exacerbating inequality and
literature has moved beyond the focus on official
exclusion. The creative economy is contributing
nonprofit cultural organizations. But rather than
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Creativity & Change
New York City’s Creative Economy, Total Workers, 2002
People Working
Within Firms With
Industry
Description
Employees
Sole Proprietors
Total
Publishing
Periodical, book, newspaper publishers
48,872
3,747
52,619
Motion picture and video production,
Film and Video
distribution
11,987
3,761
15,748
Record production and distribution, sound
Music Production
recording, music publishers
5,969
908
6,877
Cable networks, television and radio
Broadcasting
broadcasting, news syndicates
37,592
0
37,592
Architecture
Architecture, landscape architecture services
10,807
2,925
13,732
Applied Design
Specialized design, photographic services
14,112
13,872
27,984
Advertising agencies, direct mail, display,
Advertising
other services
33,175
4,745
37,920
Theater, dance, performing arts companies
Performing Arts
and musical groups
22,847
1,764
24,611
Visual Arts
Museums, art dealers
9,929
1,195
11,124
Independent artists, writers and performers in
Other
creative industries
3,337
46,844
50,181
Total Workers in Creative Industries
198,627
79,761
278,388
Source: Center for an Urban Future, 2005
While economic impact analyses compute expenditures and consumption, creative economy studies focus
on employment and production. The Center for an Urban Future with Mt. Auburn Associates identified
nearly 280,000 workers--200,000 nonprofit and for-profit employees and 80,000 sole proprietors--in NYC’s
nine creative idustries. An additional 31,000 creative workers are employed in other sectors.
seeking to integrate culture with global economic
evidence, is the expansion of inequality. Economic
change, community arts researchers have focused on inequality—attributed to structural changes
the integration of grassroots cultural practices and
including globalization, the decline in unions, and
informal arts with contemporary urban community.
deindustrialization—has exploded in the United
Economic geographers have developed a third
States over the past thirty years.
stream of literature, which explores production-
driven cultural clusters and the social networks
Of particular relevance to the arts is the emergence
underpinning productivity. It is this cultural cluster
of “winner-take-all” labor markets. Robert Frank
perspective that has the greatest potential to meet
and Philip Cook, who developed the concept, show
the dual policy goals of economic equality and social that changes in the American labor market have
inclusion.
expanded the number of job categories in which
the most skilled members reap a disproportionate
share of rewards. The archetypical winner-take-all
social costs of the creative economy
labor market is professional sports, where the most

talented members receive salaries far higher than
Neither the creative economy nor the community
those of the average member. Frank and Cook
building literature has focused on the possible
suggest that what used to be a relatively rare feature
negative effects of culture-based revitalization.
is now common in a great number of occupations,
Gentrification remains the most commonly raised
serving to accelerate economic inequality.
objection, although what evidence there is hardly
justifies the concern. Indeed, the tendency of
Within the creative economy, artists are especially
artists to trigger population turnover appears to be
vulnerable to the winner-take-all dynamic. The
counterbalanced by their role in stabilizing ethnically handful of opera singers, concert pianists, dancers,
and economically diverse neighborhoods.
and authors seen as the best in the world garner
incomes that dwarf those of gifted practitioners
A less commonly discussed drawback of culture-
who are seen as less extraordinary. Indeed, SIAP’s
based revitalization, but one for which there is more 2005 study of artists in six U.S. metropolitan areas



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From Creative Economy to Creative Society
between 1980 and 2000 found artists consistently
• shifting attention away from formal
among the occupations with the highest degree of
organizations toward non-chartered groups and
income inequality.
other “informal” cultural and creative practices;
In his 2005 work, Richard Florida acknowledged that
the growth of the creative class has contributed to the • exploring the links between “informal arts”
rise in economic inequality and its social and political
and other parts of the cultural system; and
repercussions.
• focusing on the contribution of the arts and
Perhaps the most salient of what I
culture to social network and community
consider the externalities of the creative
building.
age has to do with rising social and
economic inequality. Less than a third
of the workforce—the creative class—is
employed in the creative sector of the

economy. . . Even more discouragingly,
SIAP’s research on Philadelphia
inequality is considerably worse in leading
creative regions. … The creative economy
suggests a relationship between
is giving rise to pronounced political and
cultural engagement and
social polarization…
“collective efficacy”—the term
Florida’s newfound concern about income inequality is
used by Felton Earls to explain
striking. Since its publication in 2002, The Rise of the
why some poor neighborhoods
Creative Class has been used by city officials from New
York to Spokane as a how-to manual for stimulating
are safer than others—that is,
economic growth. The realization that pursuing
“social cohesion among neighbors
creative class strategies will actually exacerbate the
combined with their willingness
divisions between rich and poor should give public
officials pause.
to intervene on behalf of the
The job mix within the creative economy offers
common good.”
both promise and concern for its role in promoting
economic revitalization. Overall, the creative
industries are dominated by jobs with high educational
requirements. Empirical research indicates that
Much work on community culture is concerned with
as culture increases its share of the metropolitan
the inclusion of historically marginalized populations.
economy, increasing inequality is a much more
The Urban Institute has developed a broad framework
significant downside than gentrification. The
for tracking community cultural vitality—which
expansion of both arts occupations specifically
it defines as “evidence of creating, disseminating,
and the creative economy overall will create more
validating, and supporting arts and culture as a
opportunities for highly-skilled workers than for
dimension of everyday life in communities.” The
urban residents with modest educational qualifications. informal arts sector, in particular, is associated with
minority, immigrant, and other out-of-the-mainstream
communities. Informal arts include participatory, hands-
social benefits of community culture
on creative activity in informal settings as well as the

informal economy of under-employed professional and
A significant number of studies have altered our
traditional artists.
understanding of the role that culture plays in urban

communities. Research conducted over the past
Ethnographers in Chicago and the Silicon Valley have
decade across the U.S. has shaped the field by:
documented the community building potential of
the informal arts. A recent study, for example, found
• articulating an ecological view of the cultural
that Mexican immigrants in Chicago “use artistic and
sector—with nonprofit, public, and commercial
cultural practices to break down social isolation, create
providers and independent artists—and its
new social networking relationships, strengthen …
relationship to communities;
bonds among group members, and … create local and
transnational ties with [outside] institutions …”
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Creativity & Change
Cultural engagement contributes to the quality of
and … by stimulating the formation
community life by reflecting and reinforcing social
of new businesses, which expands and
diversity. Ethnic, economic, and/or household
strengthens the cluster itself. A cluster
diverse urban neighborhoods are more likely than
allows each member to benefit as if it
homogeneous communities to house cultural
had greater scale or as if it had joined
programs, cultural participants, and artists. Likewise,
with others formally—without requiring
culturally-active neighborhoods are more likely to
it to sacrifice its flexibility.
maintain demographic diversity over time.
In a study of the craft, fashion, and cultural
SIAP’s research on Philadelphia neighborhoods has
products industries of Los Angeles, Allen Scott
documented links between cultural engagement,
observed that clustering is a critical feature for
social diversity, and community capacity-building.
cultural producers to improve the quality of work
Residents who participate in the arts and culture
produced and benefit economically from the work.
tend to engage as well in other types of community
L.A.’s small-scale, labor-intensive crafts firms
activities. Moreover, the presence of cultural
cluster in dense industrial districts throughout
organizations in a neighborhood stimulates local
the inner city and region to reduce costs through
community participation overall. This kind of
“agglomeration economies.” Moreover, the spatial
community cross-participation helps stabilize
proximity of individuals and firms facilitates intense
heterogeneous communities as well as enhance
overall community capacity.

SIAP has documented a connection between
A cultural cluster perspective
community culture and child welfare: low-income
highlights the social organization
block groups with high cultural participation were
of the creative economy, and it is
more than twice as likely to have very low truancy
this socio-economic dimension that
and delinquency as other low-income neighborhoods.
The child welfare indicators reflected not the
is culture’s link to neighborhood
number of kids in arts programs but rather the
revitalization.
relationship of cultural engagement to col ective
efficacy—that is, according to public health researcher
Felton Earls, “social cohesion among neighbors
social networks, which spur a cross-pollination of
combined with their willingness to intervene on
ideas and innovation. Manuel Castells calls this
behalf of the common good.”
organizational structure a network enterprise and the
location where proximity generates synergy a milieu
of innovation. “Social networks of different kinds
regeneration potential of
powerfully contribute to the consolidation of a
cultural clusters
milieu and to its dynamics.”

The cultural cluster literature, therefore, reinforces
Cluster economic theory appears to offer the
the creative economy focus on production and cross-
greatest potential for the creative sector to
sector interactions. At the same time, however, a
regenerate distressed cities. Production-driven
cluster perspective steps out of standard economic
cultural clusters, which occur at both the
concerns to explore the social relations that spur
neighborhood and regional scales, arise out of the
innovation and investment. Thus, clusters highlight
social networks developed to meet common needs
the social organization of the creative economy, and
among producers in a given sector.
it is this socio-economic dimension that is culture’s

link to neighborhood revitalization.
Clusters, says economist Michael Porter, are
geographic concentrations of inter-connected
Community arts researchers have found direct
companies, specialized suppliers, service providers,
connections between culture and revitalization. In
and associated institutions in a particular field.
a study of ten Chicago neighborhoods, Grams
Famous industry clusters include Hollywood and
and Warr identified social networks as a key
“Silicon Valley.”
mechanism by which community arts contribute to
neighborhood improvement. By developing social
Clusters affect competition … by
networks, low-budget arts programs leverage local
increasing the productivity of companies
and non-local assets that result in direct economic
based in the area; … by driving the
benefits for the neighborhood—new markets, new
direction and pace of innovation, which
uses of existing facilities, new jobs for local artists—
underpins future productivity growth;
as well as broader community engagement.



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From Creative Economy to Creative Society
SIAP has developed empirical methods to measure
and between neighborhoods, cultural engagement
the arts’ impact on the broader socio-economic
fosters collective capacity, especially in low-wealth
processes of urban neighborhoods. Indeed, SIAP’s
communities.
research on Philadelphia shows a strong and long-
standing relationship between cultural assets and
SIAP’s findings demonstrate a clear correlation
neighborhood regeneration. During the 1980s
between cultural engagement and community well-
and 1990s, low-income neighborhoods with many
being, but there remain several empirical holes. We
cultural providers or participants were three to four
have yet to:
times more likely to revitalize as other at-risk areas.
• measure directly the link between cultural
Between 2001 and 2003, distressed neighborhoods
participation and neighborhood change—
rich in cultural assets were more likely to see a
the “collective efficacy” hypothesis;
dramatic improvement in their housing markets.
How might we explain a connection between
• collect comparable data on other forms
cultural engagement and poverty decline? SIAP’s
of community engagement to assess the
analyses of metropolitan Philadelphia demonstrate
relative effectiveness of culture in
that cultural production and participation reinforce
promoting neighborhood revitalization; or
one another, both within communities and across

the region. Cultural providers (nonprofit and
• sort out the temporal relationship between
for-profit), individual artists, and participants
cultural engagement, civic vitality, and
tend to locate in similar communities. Moreover,
neighborhood regeneration.
neighborhoods rich in cultural resources send
participants to programs throughout the city as
In addition, it would be useful to do case studies
well as draw outsiders into the neighborhood. Even
of neighborhood cultural clusters—what SIAP
among small grassroots arts centers, nearly four-in-
calls “natural” cultural districts—to look at the
five participants come from other neighborhoods.
social and spatial dynamics of cultural production
Unlike most community activities, culture builds
and participation and their implications for
bridges across the divides of geography, ethnicity,
neighborhood revitalization.
and social class. By building social networks within
Percent of block groups revitalized (above average population increase
and poverty decline) by number of cultural providers within one-half mile,
Philadelphia 1990-2000
In Philadelphia, during the
1980s and 1990s, the odds
that a neighborhood would
revitalize were highly related
to presence of cultural
resources. Even among the
most at-risk neighborhoods,
those with many cultural
organizations within one-
half mile were three to four
times more likely to see their
poverty decline and population
increase as those with few
groups.
Cultural providers within one-half mile
Source: SIAP
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Creativity & Change
Culture fosters community capacity by building social networks.
Philadelphia, 2001.
Cultural engagement builds networks within and between neighborhoods. Neighborhoods
with a critical mass of cultural assets—and a dense web of social networks—are more likely to
experience stable social diversity as well as economic revitalization.
Artists (65 red dots) and organizations with which
Community cultural providers (10 red dots) and
they worked in one year.
non-arts organizations with which they worked.
Source: SIAP
A New Model: A Neighborhood-
At its core, the creative economy perspective
Based Creative Economy
misunderstands creativity. Proponents don’t
recognize the collective nature of the creative

process and, in particular, the social organization of
Can the creative economy expand economic
the creative and cultural industries. The productive
opportunity and social inclusion without generating
as well as the revitalization potential of the creative
the inequality and displacement that its critics have
sector depends upon an infrastructure of social and
noted? The answer, we suggest, lies in linking the
spatial networks. Here we propose a neighborhood-
creative economy, community-building, and cultural
based creative economy as a framework for strengthening
cluster literature in an alternative model for low-
the social and spatial networks of creativity from the
wealth urban neighborhoods. The three perspectives
bottom-up.
share an interest in moving beyond traditional
nonprofit models of the arts and in focusing on
We begin with a model of the community cultural
a community’s assets rather than its deficits. All
sector as an ecosystem. The model highlights how
view cultural organizations not in isolation but as
the capacities and impacts of the sector as a whole
“network enterprises” in which their connections to
are greater than the sum of its parts. Other features
wider systems are more important than their internal
include:
organization.
• the sector’s variety of agents, some operating
“under the radar”—nonprofit cultural
A neighborhood-based creative
organizations, informal arts groups, for-profit
cultural firms, and community-based
economy is an ecosystem
programs;
approach to culture-based
• the interdependence of community and
neighborhood revitalization that
regional agents and of producers and
integrates urban residents with the
consumers;
• the essential but often invisible role of artists
regional economy and civil society.
and cultural workers as connectors;



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From Creative Economy to Creative Society
• the under-appreciated role of cultural patrons
for the less “gifted.” In his latest book, Florida
and practitioners as cross-participants and
bemoans that creative places have high levels of
community connectors.
social and economic inequality. Yet, it is difficult to
see how his conceptualization of creativity could
An ecosystem approach to the community cultural
have any other consequences.
sector views the connections and flows between
The unhappy denouement of the creative class
agents and resources—their institutional and social
raises a provocative implication that has been
networks—as more important than individual
largely unexplored. In his seminal work, Art Worlds,
entities.
sociologist Howard Becker made a compelling case
that the image of the artist as a genius existing
An effective revitalization strategy should be
outside of any social organization was fallacious.
both place- and people-based—that is, it should
Individual creativity—even in its most idiosyncratic
be grounded in a given locale but have active
form—is tied to patterns of organization of
connections with other neighborhoods and
social activity that allow the genius to play that
economies throughout the city and region. A
role. “Works of art,” Becker explains, “are not the
neighborhood-based ecosystem approach to the
products of individual makers, ‘artists’ who possess
creative economy is a way to integrate urban
a rare and special gift.”
neighborhood residents with the regional economy
[Works of art] are, rather, joint products
and civil society.
of all the people who cooperate via an
art world’s characteristic conventions
to bring works like that into existence.
from creative economy to economic
Artists are a small subgroup of
the world’s participants who, by
opportunity
common agreement, possess a special

gift, therefore make a unique and
The concept of the community cultural ecosystem
indispensable contribution to the work,
fits uneasily with current interest in the creative
and thereby make it art.
economy. At least in its American manifestations,
the creative economy is thoroughly market-oriented.
Like Sassen, Becker is as likely to see the stage hand,
The profit motive is the “change agent” and cultural
the printer, or the guitar string maker as critical to
and social arrangements are expected to respond
art as the famed actor, author, or singer. Becker’s
accordingly.
point was to shatter the idea of creativity outside
of social organization and to revalue the role of

cooperative activity in creative production.
Creative Class Myopia. Florida’s work is based on
a reasonable and important insight—that the role of
Much recent work on the creative economy
creativity has become a central element of a region’s
and creative class turns Becker’s insight on its
comparative economic advantage. His contribution
head. Where Becker showed how art requires
is to hone in on the particular skills and knowledge
the contribution of an ensemble of people with
that contribute to innovation and to see these skills
different skills and aptitudes who can successfully
as relevant across a variety of sectors.
coordinate their activities, creative class advocates
take the classic idea of the artist—a gifted individual
But there is a dark side to the creative class
with unique vision and skill—and generalize it
argument. As Saskia Sassen noted years ago, the
to all creative workers. Where Becker sought to
global economy tends to “valorize” particular
demystify creativity, many creative economy writers
jobs while it “devalorizes” others that are equally
seek to generalize the artists’ aura to encompass
important to the overall functioning of the
stockbrokers, scientists, and university professors!
economy. In his enthusiasm for the role of the truly
It appears that we should subordinate our own well-
creative in stimulating economic growth, Florida
being to that of the geniuses among us, the true font
values particular workers—typically high-wage,
of our collective well-being.
well-educated workers—which has the effect of
devaluing those who make a less visible contribution.
But if we make life better for the creative class, in a
world of limited resources, we make life less good
 | January 2008

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Creativity & Change
A Creative Sector Workforce Development
not creative in the conventional sense—are critical
Strategy. Could the creative economy have
to the social organization of the creative industries.
implications for an urban workforce development
With the digitization of audio and video production,
strategy? What if we take Howard Becker’s insight
for example, it has become almost impossible to
and turn the creative economy back on its feet?
distinguish where the “technical” work stops and the
If the sector’s success is based on the social
“creative” work starts.
organization of people with different skills and
aptitudes, the creative economy might provide the
Digital media production presents only the most
foundation for a variety of new jobs and skills not
obvious illustration. Philadelphia’s Charter High
covered by current definitions of creative worker.
School for Architecture and Design has developed
Someone has to lay the fiber optic cable for the web
a curriculum that combines traditional academics
designer, someone has to sew the costumes for the
with design skills and hands-on training in carpentry,
dancers, and someone has to create the drawings
building trades, and structural systems.
for the architect. From this perspective, the creative
economy could provide opportunities for young
Across the creative sector, we need a thorough
adults who have not been successful in pursuing
inventory of the actual work involved and the paths
traditional academics.
for entering these occupations. U.S. localities can
look to the United Kingdom and Canada, where
workforce development planning for the creative

and cultural industries is underway (see page 9).
Howard Becker’s book, Art Worlds,
shatters the idea of creativity
outside of social organization and
from economic opportunity to social
revalues the role of cooperative
citizenship

activity in creative production
Can a neighborhood-based creative economy
… providing the foundation for
combine wealth-creation and social inclusion?
a creative sector workforce
Can cultural engagement foster an open society?
development strategy.
Can we leverage a creative economy to a creative
society? Yes, but not by avoiding the lessons of past
experience.
The valuation of the creative class, in fact, flies in
the face of a profound reorganization of work life
The Limits of Trickle-down Prosperity. As
at the beginning of the 21st century. The trajectory
we have noted, a market-driven creative economy
of work organization during the 20th century was
is remaking the world, or at least the U.S.
the separation of mental and manual work. During
Government’s job, according to this perspective,
the course of industrialization, work restructuring
is to set intellectual property rules that encourage
was devoted to the removal of knowledge from
entrepreneurs but don’t hamstring innovation and
the “hands” who did the work to the engineers and
otherwise get out of the way. As Sassen would say,
managers who oversaw and directed the process.
the rest of us are “devalorized” to the point of
By the end of the century, however, the pendulum
invisibility.
had begun to swing back. In sector after sector,
Much of the literature on culture-based
information technologies permitted a reduction in
revitalization focuses on large-scale projects and
the minute division of labor and a reintegration
districts as a means of reanimating downtowns.
of manual and mental labor. The reorganization
Significant public investment in culture is directed
of occupational classifications for the 2000 census,
at others—tourists, conventioneers, high-income
for example, focused increasingly on the functions
downtown residents, and suburbanites. The case for
associated with particular occupations rather than
benefits to residents of modest means is typically
their level of formal education or remuneration.
the creation of service sector employment and the
Indeed, the reintegration of mental and manual
trickle down of economic advantages to the region.
work required for creative and cultural production
The development potential of the regional creative
provides a fertile ground for examining
economy is characterized more by intriguing
opportunities for the urban work force. To do so
possibilities than proven facts. By comparison,
we have to identify the range of skills that—while
the social benefits of the arts are persuasive and



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From Creative Economy to Creative Society
CREATIVE AND CULTURAL INDUSTRIES WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
To develop a creative industry urban workforce development strategy, we can look to the UK and Canada. The few US
localities thinking about creative sector “workforce development” focus on facilitating labor markets.
UNITED KINGDOM
CANADA
UNITED STATES
In the UK workforce development
The British Columbia Cultural
plans are part of the national
Oregon Creative Services Alliance,
Sector Development Council
education agenda. All industrial
a public-private partnership with the
focuses on issues of human capital
sectors, reorganized into 25 Sector
Portland Development Commission
and the infrastructure workers
Skills Councils, develop a framework
and City of Portland, is working to
navigate to earn a living. Its goal
of common interests, issues, and
foster a network infrastructure among
is to build long-term creative
interventions needed to close skills
Portland’s creative service groups
and economic sustainability for
gaps. Creative & Cultural Skills,
and to address workforce quality
individuals, cultural organizations,
operative since June 2005, is the
by developing partnerships with
and industries by working with
skills council for advertising, crafts,
local colleges and universities, art
existing networks and resources
cultural heritage, design, music,
schools, and workforce development
and, where gaps are identified,
performing, literary and visual arts.
agencies.
coordinating stakeholders to achieve
The Music Industry Workforce
effective solutions.
The Santa Fe Arts and Culture
Development Plan, completed in
website, a project of New Mexico
The City of Vancouver, Office of
December 2004, set the tone for
CultureNet, is designed primarily
Cultural Affairs documents the local
the creative industries. The plan
for residents and visitors. The portal
creative sector by occupation and
specified professional development,
uses three parts for workforce
industry (cultural and information
organizational, and “entry-to-the-
development: Classifieds—a listing
industries & arts, entertainment, and
workforce” objectives that included “a
of employment opportunities and
recreation). The City tracks changes
structured dialogue” between industry
individuals looking for work; Arts
in its culture labor force, demographic
and education and workforce diversity
Directory—a listing of businesses and
and minority characteristics of culture
that reflects the demographics of the
individuals doing business in Santa
workers, and creative industry
country.
Fe; and Google Search—a unique
employment by neighborhood.
URL for each Arts Directory listing.
The Museums Libraries and
The Saskatchewan Motion
Archives Council and MLA London
Creative New York, a December
Picture Association completed a
published workforce development
2005 report by the Center for an
workforce development plan for the
strategies. Priorities are to improve
Urban Future, recommends that New
province’s growing film and video
access to training and development
York begin to address its creative
industry, which benefits from a Film
and diversify the workforce so that
core’s workforce development
Employment Tax Credit. The plan
museums, archives and libraries
needs. “City leaders and industry
has several components: training
reflect the communities they serve.
stakeholders … [should] align
and employment programs for
workforce organizations, industry
London’s Innovation for Success
women and aborigines, so that the
leaders, trade associations and
is a workforce development program
workforce represents the diversity
unions to coordinate the skills
for creative, cultural and media
of the populace; an occupational
development needed for creative
professionals and companies to
survey to determine the number of
industries [… and …] collaborate
develop networks and build technical,
entry- and upper-level jobs and their
with the city’s network of workforce
management, and leadership skills.
training needs in film, television, and
training providers and educational
The accredited program is free or
new media; and a skills data base of
institutions to develop programs to
subsidized for creative professionals
individuals working or wanting to work
meet these multiple needs.”
trading from 10 inner London
in the industry.
boroughs. “We are particularly
keen to work with Black, minority
ethnic and disabled-led businesses,
freelancers or employees.” Funding
is by London Development Agency,
European Union, and Ravenscourt
Media.
 | January 2008

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Creativity & Change
relatively well-documented. Virtually all social
impact studies find a consistent set of positive
neighborhood effects associated with community
Scribe Video Center in
arts and culture. They bridge long-term barriers
Philadelphia provides
of class and ethnicity as well as age and gender.
training in all aspects of film,
They foster social and institutional connections
video, and audio production
both within and between neighborhoods. They
for novice, emerging, and
animate public spaces. They create value in the
form of physical amenities and quality of the
established media artists.
built environment. SIAP’s research provides
evidence that the social benefits are connected to
wider trends in community capacity-building and
economic well-being.
The regeneration potential of cultural clusters
demonstrates that the economic vs. the social
impact of the arts is a false choice. If policy-
making were a rational decision-making process,
the lessons of the past 20 years would be loud
and clear. Large-scale cultural projects—under
the right circumstances—can generate significant
economic return, but the bulk of these benefits
accrue to high-wealth populations. By contrast,
small-scale projects entail modest investments and
yield modest direct economic return. However,
clusters of even low-budget arts and cultural
resources generate significant spill-over effects that
contribute to the quality of community life, which
in turn can trigger long-term economic benefits.
Creative Economy as Social Inclusion
Strategy. To succeed on social—and economic—
justice grounds, a neighborhood-based creative
economy must integrate economic opportunity
and social inclusion. For the creative economy to
become a creative society, we need to see people
as more than cogs in the economy. We need to see
people simultaneously as workers and citizens and
develop an approach that recognizes both.
For the creative economy to
t
er
become a creative society,
en
we need to see people
simultaneously as workers and
V
ideo C
citizens.
ibe
cr
os: S
The starting point would be a political ideology
P
hot
that acknowledges, rather than denies, the potential
for exclusion. The British experience might be a
Scribe gives area residents of all ages the
guide to reassessment of the social and economic
equipment and skills to make documentaries and
value of culture-based development. The priority
chronicle their community histories.
given to social inclusion—by Creative London,
for example—is an attempt to combine market
principles with social purposes.

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