CREATIVE CITY NEWSLETTER: JULY 2001

ISSUE 2: DEFINING THE NEW ECONOMY

Creative City Top Five Issue Areas
Topical Articles and Studies
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: Rochester, NY
Meeting Notes from the First Creative City Meeting


A message from Laura Durham, Creative City Program Officer

Partners is pleased to present the first edition of a regular Creative City "e-newsletter." In each issue we will be taking a look at a different element of amenity-based strategies, ranging from "Image and Marketing" to "Public/Private Partnerships." Within the Creative City newsletter you will also find primary source material, as well as references and links to topical articles and studies. Creative City members will have the opportunity to participate in online discussion groups with other participants and guest commentators. The newsletter will also allow you to glean ideas of recent happenings and best practices from other communities and learn how others are putting their Creative City agendas to work. We hope that you find the Creative City nesletter a useful resource and we look foward to a long and productive collaboration.

TOP STORY:

What Are We Talking About - Beginning to Define the New Economy

What exactly is the "New Economy"? And what are the steps for positioning your community to take advantage of this new economic paradigm? "The Creative City: Power for the New Economy" provides comprehensive answers to these questions, and points you in the direction of success. Portions of the paper are excerpted below. To obtain a copy of the paper in its entirety, visit Resource Paper - The Creative City: Power for the New Economy.

"In the 20th century, successive stages in the development of America's economy were described in terms that expressed a core characteristic driving growth, such as efficiency, productivity and flexibility. In the New Economy the term that best expresses what is at the heart of growth is creativity.

The defining elements of the economy of the 20th century have not been erased, but the injection of new technology - especially the internet - and the related multiplication of opportunities and acceleration of change have put creativity at the center of success in all areas of public and private endeavor.

As is the case with businesses, success for cities will depend on creativity. The creative city will be home to creative businesses and organizations and the individuals who direct and propel them. Creative cities however, will not arise spontaneously…Success is not predetermined. It must be achieved the old-fashioned way. The challenges created by the new economy are clear and formidable. Success will require, first, confronting and overcoming these challenges, and then identifying and capitalizing on the opportunities created by the new economy… For many cities, prospects for achieving traditional urban development objectives have become brighter because of favorable conditions created by the new economy. In order to succeed in today's economy, most cities will need to be some or all of the following…"

Interested in finding out what cities need to be and have to succeed? Visit Resource Paper - The Creative City: Power for the New Economy.