CREATIVE CITY NEWSLETTER: NOVEMBER 2001

ISSUE 4: GROWTH

ISSUE IN FOCUS: Smart Growth
NEWS YOU CAN USE: The Bohemian Index
CREATIVE CORNER: Slow Cities
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: Marquette County, MI
September 11: Creative City Participants Respond
Research and Public Policy Outline
Creative City Participants' Updated Agendas


A message from Laura Durham, Creative City Program Officer

So much has happened since the last newsletter. Though we are at a constant scramble to keep up with current events, I think it is more important than ever that we also stay in touch with each other. Here at Partners we are maintaining our daily activities and continue to strive toward improving community livability. I know that each of our participating Creative Cities is doing the same. I believe we can all be of great assistance and support to each other throughout the oncoming days, months, and even years. It is with this is mind that I dedicate this third edition of our Creative City newsletter to addressing issues related to the current state of affairs.

I recently sent out emails to all of you in an attempt to begin a dialogue on the Creative City response to the affect of September 11 and the following events. We feel that the Creative City project can and should be used as an opportunity for communication and learning within our network of participants. We are especially interested in learning how each participating city/community is dealing with issues of leadership, financing/budgeting/deficits, and with issues of security during this time of upheaval. It is clear that each of these issues has become prominent in all of our thoughts and actions, and we would like to provide a chance for our participants to have a dialogue concerning them.

Leadership is clearly of utmost importance at this time. We are constantly seeing the impacts that positive leadership can have on our communities throughout troubling times. Of course it is also evident that ineffective leadership can negatively affect our ability to deal with tragedy and fear. What is the role of leadership in your city/community, and how has leadership been affected by current events?

On top of it all, we are all facing the difficulties associated with a coinciding fiscal downturn at this time as well. Many cities are facing unexpected budget deficits along with increasing demands for financial resources. Foundations and benefactors that may typically help with funding Creative City agendas, are finding themselves constrained as well. As an organization, Partners too is facing the reality of a changing economic picture. We would like to know how our Creative Cities are responding to these financial impacts, and are seeking related creative solutions to moving forward with Creative City agenda items.

Of course security is at the core of many of our concerns. How do we create a safe environment for the citizens of our communities? How are our Creative Cities approaching the issue of security, and how can we respond to our fears (both rational and irrational)?

We can learn from and support each other as we deal with these issues, and I hope you will all use this newsletter to move along a dialogue in this area. At the same time, however, we will continue to use this newsletter to address the more typical Creative City project agenda items. As I mentioned in my September letter (postponing the conference in Louisville), it is now more important than ever to focus on improving the livability of our communities, and we are anxious to push forward with our Creative City plans.