Ten years ago, writing in his book The Rise of the Creative Class, Richard Florida, a professor in the management school at the University of Toronto and now a senior editor at The Atlantic, set a meme in motion: the idea that artists, writers, designers, and other creative workers helped improve the quality of a place, collectively serving to promote innovative businesses, tourism, a thriving housing market, ethnic and cultural diversity, mobility, and other aspects of a desirable economy. He set off a touch of controversy as well with some of his correlations, which now seem commonsensical but were then so new as to be heretical. All are part of the conversation now surrounding other memes, among them the idea of the “good city,” the creation of arts districts in distressed downtown areas, and the use of civic and cultural tourism as a means of bringing people—and dollars—into communities.
To read the full, original article click on this link: Finding Hope in Creativity: 5 Questions for Trend-Watcher Richard Florida | Britannica Blog
