The Creative Class Speaks

Eight members of the so-called "creative class" discuss their work and their reasons for living in Cleveland.

1 minute read

November 3, 2003, 5:00 AM PST

By David Gest


"[T]he city itself -- not the city government or its policies, but the physical remnants of a former Midwestern industrial powerhouse -- is the attraction [for the creative class]...The factories, the warehouses and the rubble...[have] inspired and enabled artistic expression..." Says one artist, "The zones [developers] are creating are way too expensive for many artists to afford. That may be good for the city, but not for artists because we don't develop a sustained area." "But the bigger question for Cleveland and for those who are disciples of Richard Florida, is not whether Cleveland can attract creative people, but whether the city can retain them and offer a market for their wares."

Thanks to David Gest

Sunday, November 2, 2003 in The Cleveland Free Times

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I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

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