Creative Class

The creative class refers to people who share a common interest in, and ability to create, meaningful new forms of economic activity. It is comprised of two groups: the supercreative core and creative professionals. The supercreative core group consists of those employed in fields such as science and engineering, high technology, research, the arts, and design. Its members produce innovations that can be readily applied and broadly used, such as designing a piece of software or writing a musical composition. The second group, creative professionals, includes workers in knowledge-based professions such as financial services, health care, law, and business management. By relying on extensive knowledge, these professionals engage in creative problem solving and seek innovative solutions.

Creative workers generate economic growth through developing technological innovations, advancing scientific thinking, and increasing knowledge. Therefore, a high concentration of the creative class is thought to be linked to the economic growth of a city. One estimate is that the creative class accounts for roughly 30 percent of the U.S. workforce, or about 40 million workers. Only one third of the workforce, they earn roughly 50 percent of all the wages and salaries. The creative class also possesses nearly 70 percent of all discretionary income, more than double that of workers in manufacturing and services combined.

In 1998, the term creative class was developed by social scientist Richard Florida in a study that found that high-technology professionals—typically [Page 189]young and mobile—make location decisions based on lifestyle interests rather than employment. Florida claimed that members of the creative class are drawn to vibrant cities that possess a variety of cultural and recreational experiences. His conclusions were mirrored by work on the location patterns of gays. High-technology workers and gays seemed to be attracted to the same locales. In subsequent research, Florida created the Bohemian Index, which measures the density of artists, writers, and performers in a region. His Creative Class Index attests to a city's concentration of creative workers.

Although the creative class is primarily influenced by an area's quality of life, the availability of employment still remains an important factor in choosing a place to live. More important, though, are community assets such as lifestyle diversity, entertainment, and environmental quality. A diverse cultural and demographic population reflects an open and tolerant community, and an active and informal street life provides for new experiences. A nightlife that offers a wide array of options is also important. As a result, cultural amenities and professional sports complexes are perceived to be less of a draw than vibrant entertainment and nightlife destinations. The promotion of environmental sustainability and access to outdoor recreational activities such as bike paths and public parks are additional attractions. To entice the creative class to relocate, city and regional economic development strategies focus on improving the local quality of life and, in some cases, passing progressive social and environmental legislation.

The values of creative class members signal a shift away from economic security toward ideals that reflect individual expression. Individuality and self-statement are prized over actions that reinforce group identity. Demonstrating merit, exhibited by ambition and hard work, is another important value. Diversity is also an ideal but seems to be interpreted as seeking an environment that accepts nonconformity rather than one that addresses racial and gender inequalities.

...