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The Milwaukee River walk

Thesis

Richard Florida's creative class index criteria does not necessarily dictate the success or failure of a cities pursuit to economic growth

Toronto

Milwaukee

Introduction

Boston has ranked 3rd in America for cities that have the potential for economic growth and has established itself as a precedent for other cities in the US to look at when designing their own aspirations to become "Creative Cities". The criteria to meet this achievement is heavily debated amongst scholars, economists and other critics. As it is now, thanks to the research of economist Richard Florida, we have the Creative Class Index. Cities are measured on criteria such as "the size of a city’s creative workforce, the local concentration of high tech industries, innovation based on patents per capita, and the diversity of its residents". Other points of measure include "the universities, to a culture of openness and support, to multidisciplinary areas of a city where the cross-pollination of design and technology can happen". The success of Boston as a creative city can be evaluated when we ask ourselves, what is a creative city? The criteria of a creative city is often debated and criticized depending which side of the political and societal spectrum you reside on. According to an article by Rob Adams, an architect and urban designer, titled What makes a creative city?, the creative city can be evaluated based on any number of things such as Structure, Accessibility, Variety, Animation, Continuity and change, Distinct characters, Equity, Good fit with people’s intentions, sense and sustainability. Economist Richard Florida’s creative class index measures a cities ability to be classified as a creative city similarly. Boston is spearheading American cities and their desire for change and adaptation with the times. The reason for many of Bostons success ultimately is because of the mindset of the city. The openness and willingness of its citizens to change and welcome change. The fact that it is a college city, with many universities makes this understandable. Innovation has become a centrepiece in Boston's attempt - or rather its successful attempt at transformation. The most important criteria to a successful transition into a creative city in our opinion is the willingness and openness of a society to change. This must be present. Without that, a city will fold on itself because of the division caused by this transition. Alberta finds itself at this crossroads. A lack of willingness may just be the reason why this economic downfall won't stop. We need to change and we need to adapt. However, the cultural and economic mindset here is revolving around oil and gas which seems to be a thing of the past. The city and it's citizens need to get with the times and begin advocating for change.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin is a city akin to the likes of Detroit. Sustained population loss and receding industry, has meant the steady economic decline of Milwaukee. Facing this future, Milwaukee has embraced Florida’s creative city ideology, aiming to attract the “creative class” into Milwaukee, in hopes that the creative class would bring wealth and entrepreneurship into Milwaukee. Aggressive re branding strategies, such as the “live, work, play” campaign, have focused on retooling the central area around needs of the creative class. Other efforts, partaken by the government of Milwaukee, have included a focus on central area real estate, public artwork, and fostering an environment of social acceptance. Of such projects, Milwaukee has invested considerably into the waterfront district. Extending the River walk and gentrifying surrounding neighborhoods. All in an attempt to persuade creative talent to reside. However, embracing Florida’s creative ideology has not been completely smooth. Currently, Milwaukee is ranked 68 on the creative index, which is measured through: technology, talent, and tolerance. Tolerance has been Milwaukee’s stumbling block, with the blue collar workforce, finding difficulties in embracing the new culture. The ideology of Florida has come under scrutiny following Milwaukee’s addition of such policies. Gentrification has led to increased rent, which have displaced hundreds of industrial jobs. (Daykin, 2001). The economy itself has failed to prosper, as now one in four live below poverty, despite the growth in the “creative class”. Budget shortfalls have led to the closing of 90% of swimming pools, and jobs are still on the decline. Even “creative class” jobs such as technology have been lost. Milwaukee’s transition as a creative city, has failed at revitalizing the economy, and what industry is left, have been hampered through the redirection of government funding away from the corporate.

Toronto, Canada has set itself apart as a Creative City. In 2000, the Toronto city council commissioned a new plan for the development of the city called the Culture Plan. The timeline is to succeed in the development within the next decade. The creators of this plan have looked at the pitfalls and accomplishments of many other creative cities around the world. Each city is slightly different, due to the citizens, economy, and location but they all share commonalities that have helped them be as successful as possible. Some of the commonalities are “great cultural diversity, high percentages of adults with post-secondary education and high proportions of economic activity in the knowledge industries”. The Culture Plan specifically strives to continue to give its residents the high quality of life while attracting individuals to the city that value the same aspects the city is trying to enhance. This plan includes 60 different initiatives to enhance the city’s creative side, some of which include making the city more beautiful by committing one per cent of funding to public art in public and private developments, preserving and promoting the most important heritage buildings and increasing participation in cultural events by residents in all parts of the city. The citizens are the driving force behind the success of Toronto and it’s creative outlets. One of the goals of the city is to increase spending for the arts by two dollars per capita, translating to an incredible increase in funds in the arts; each dollar invested translates into $3.2 in economic activity within the city. Richard Florida’s theory on the creative class specifies a creative core of professionals that are invested in the creative advancement of the city. They attempt to not only promote the development of their city, but problem solving and problem finding in a new and creative way. Toronto attracts those who are part of the creative core of professionals because of its commitment to bettering the community and city as a whole through the advancements of the arts and celebrating the cultural diversity that the citizens of Toronto bring. Richard Florida's theory of the creative class index is not solely responsible for the economic success that Toronto has seen as a creative city. The success seems to stem from the commitment of the city leaders and the citizens. The leaders of City Council have played an important role to ensure that Toronto has a vibrant, active and strong cultural life from the initiation of the Culture Plan and onward.

Richard Florida’s ideas of the creative city, hand themselves nicely at explaining the success of creative cities. However, forcing Florida’s theory into a city does not necessarily lead to economic prosperity. Toronto and Boston have found large success following the model of Florida, because they have successfully utilized previous capacities in building the creative city. Toronto’s success has largely stemmed from leaders who just want Toronto to be a better place. By fostering a creative image of Toronto first with its citizens, the creative class will come as it likes. Toronto is not sacrificing anything to attract the creative class, but instead is starting from the inside out. Citizens of Toronto want a higher quality of life, as does everyone else, and enhancing the city does so, while simultaneously attracting the creative class. Boston follows a similar suit. It is utilizing it’s already popular universities, as a medium for pursuing Florida’s creative class . Fostering an open environment in it’s universities leads to a culture of openness towards the creative class. And the concentration of innovation found in Boston universities only adds to the lure of Boston as a creative city. Boston is using it’s universities as a means to transition towards a creative city, attracting the creative class. In both cases, cities are aided tremendously if they can implement creative city initiatives, without making detrimental sacrifices, through previous capacities. Boston with its universities, and Toronto, with a willing population who wants to pursue a creative city. Milwaukee serves to show why previous capacities are so important. It poured millions of dollars, which it didn't really have, as an effort to attract the creative class, which could in turn revitalize its economy. What it did with that money, was pursue gentrification, rebuilding the city into an entirely new concept. Old capacities were not utilized and instead renewed rather then renovated. Milwaukee did not have a willing population, instead an army of blue collar workers, and by sacrificing more of its industry, Milwaukee risked far too much in pursuing the creative class. Milwaukee did not have the openness desired by the creative class. It's a city who pursued change for the economic benefit, while misjudging the cultural change the creative class brings with it. Because of these factors, Milwaukee generally failed as a creative city. The sacrifices made outweighed the benefits provided by the creative class, and the economic burden of revitalization has led to a decreasing quality of life. Milwaukee serves as a case study of why Florida's thesis of the creative class, fails on it's promises. Without previous capacities, cities cannot shoulder the economic burden of re purposing the city. These cities act as a case study, showcasing what it takes to become a creative city. Florida offers a straightforward path towards attracting the creative class, which does not always pan out. Instead, cities which already have strong economies, vibrant sectors, and a willing population, are the most likely candidates for attracting the creative class.

We considered three different cities and their attempts to become a creative city where Toronto and Boston have made the successful shift unlike Milwaukee. Our group believes that willingness and the welcoming of change is an important factor in making the switch to a creative city; the lack of willingness is the result of an economic downfall shown in Milwaukee. The difference in success of these three cities again poses the question, are creative cities economically viable considering the Creative Index? To conclude, Richard Florida's creative class index criteria does not necessarily dictate the success or failure of a cities pursuit to economic growth.

Discussion

Conclusion

Our group chose to study the ‘Creative Index’ made by Richard Florida which measures a regions overall economic potential. This index uses talent, technology and tolerance to create the index for a region which includes considering visible minorities, members of the LGBTQ population, educational attainment for talent along with other aspects. We decided to look at Milwaukee, Boston, and Toronto and their individual attempts at making the shift to become a creative city. The local parks of Milwaukee announced that 43 public swimming pools, which is 90% of the city total would close due to budget shortfalls, lowering the quality of life of poor neighborhoods. This posed the question, are creative cities economically viable? Our group came to the conclusion that Richard Florida's creative class index criteria does not necessarily dictate the success or failure of a cities pursuit to economic growth.

Boston