Thursday, March 11, 2004

Are you part of Fresno’s emerging “creative class”? Richard Florida, a professor of Regional Economic Development at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and author of the “Rise of the Creative Class”, describes this group of individuals, typically between 25 to 35 years of age, as artist, scientists, engineers, authors, architects, restaurateurs and any other profession whose creativity is not only a key factor in their daily work, but a necessity in developing new creative markets. Many cities throughout the world believe that attracting this “creative class” will be the new driving force behind economic growth and urban revitalization. Are these the type of people that local leaders ought to retain and attract in Fresno? Should Fresno’s civic and political leaders develop public policy to evolve our community into a hot spot for innovators, artists and other idea people?

If you believe the answer is yes, then I’d like to invite you to join the discussion. On Thursday, April 1, 2004, Creative Fresno, a group of young professionals, is hosting a summit to discuss the link between creativity and economic growth. The summit is designed to give “young creatives” the opportunity be part of a vibrant and exciting dialogue that will help shape the agenda for Fresno’s future. A grass roots effort will convene for an afternoon of brainstorming, networking and discussing just what this cohort of generation X entrepreneurs can do to foster a creative community and in the process, add a new dimension to economic development for our region. If interested, you can register at www.creativefresno.org. Seating is limited and filling up quickly.

How does this movement compliment traditional economic development efforts? Florida submits cities that attract this group of workers will flourish to a greater extent than those that don’t. This happens as a result of new ideas generating new markets that many times congregate around the downtown core. Cities such as Memphis, Tampa Bay and Cincinnati understand the importance of the role “young creatives” play in diversifying its employment base and bringing new life to downtown areas.

When similar sized cities are compared to Fresno, we rank 27 out of 32 in categories like creativity, innovation, high tech and diversity. And while we may rank low in Mr. Florida’s creativity index, we have some encouraging opportunities that could change the image of Fresno. For example, the City of Fresno is considering adopting a public arts ordinance and a developer is building live-work spaces for artists in downtown. These are encouraging signs of life but more must be done. Addressing the “brain drain” and perception problem our Valley endures means that our civic and political leadership need to look at new ways of addressing old problems. This summit will begin the discussion on how we build a “creative ecosystem” boasting arts and culture, night life, a music scene, restaurants, innovators, entrepreneurs, affordable spaces, lively neighborhoods, open spaces and a vibrant downtown.

My request is simple. If you’re creative and ready to turn Fresno into a Mecca of innovation and creativity, then register today! This concept compels people to think out of the box and consider more than tax rates and stadiums when planning an economic development strategy. Working to entice these creative workers could only complement the efforts underway to grow our Valley’s economy and improve the quality of life for us all. Your decision to participate today will undoubtedly help our city unleash its greatest asset, its “creative class”.

Sincerely,

Councilmember Henry Perea
and the Creative Fresno Steering Committee