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The Creative Class, moving into new industries
February 8th, 2010 by Mike Knutson
I’ve often felt that a missing part of Richard Florida’s Creative Class theory has been a lack of emphasis on creative individuals who work in non-creative industries. For those unfamiliar, Florida believes that cities must compete for talent because individuals who belong to the “creative class” drive our economy. In short, cities that attract talent thrive; those that don’t die.
So who are these creative workers that cities need? Florida finds them in the fields of science, research, health care, finance, computer science and the arts, to name a few.
His research casts an ominous shadow on rural communities, both past and future. Historically, he finds little evidence of creative workers in rural communities. And in the future, he sees little opportunity for rural communities to attract them. No talent, no future.
In the following interview on Big Think, however, Florida suggests creative works are migrating to jobs not usually associated with the creative class.
(video source: “Reinveting the Way Workers Learn,” Big Think )
Creative workers in home repair and food processing. Those jobs don’t sound as foreign to rural communities as computer science and research.
In this light, rural communities are still in competition with urban areas for creative individuals. But the question becomes, how can we help them put their creativity to work building businesses that connect to the geographic advantages each rural community possesses?
As Florida highlights later in the interview, that process becomes easier when we reinvent our school systems. Let’s talk more about that later.
I’m excited to see that the Creative Class theory is growing to be more inclusive. At the Rural Learning Center we’ve always sense creative people in our rural communities are overlooked. Too often, however, we’ve neglected to harness and apply their creativity.
Tags: brain drain, creative economy, Richard Florida
Posted in Economic Development, Rural | Comments (
2 )
February 8th, 2010 at 10:23 pm
Regarding scientists and researchers, when the Rural Learning Center did interviews in Lead, South Dakota two years ago, we learned that the rural, natural setting played a huge role in winning Lead its national underground science lab designation. Obviously, its two-mile-deep hole in the ground (the former Homestake Mine) played a role, too. But there were other holes that would have worked, too, including one just outside Seattle. But scientists from around the world liked the family-friendly, outdoors setting that Lead has, and there’s no doubt that was a factor in the lab’s placement. Every small town that has labored to establish and maintain a public or private college has attracted generations of creative class professionals: musicians, thespians, writers, researchers, and more.
February 9th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Paul, Thanks for sharing. And thanks for helping us with the interviews in Lead.