I am so sick of these folks just getting it wrong, over and over again. Apparently, someone told them that the "Creative Class" was the key to urban revitalization. Per Richard Florida, the leading academic researcher and publisher on the topic, that's exactly right.
But Florida doesn't characterize the "creative class" as only designers, artists, restaurant owners, architects, etc. In fact these categories of folks are the significant minority of Creative Class members. However, it appears that Venture Richmond, RVA Creates, and the founders of the Shockoe Design District didn't bother to read "The Rise of the Creative Class," "The Flight of the Creative Class," any of the numerous academic studies and papers Florida has published on the subject, the City of Richmond's own commissioned studies, including "The Young and the Restless," the Crupi Reports I and II....I could go on and on. In fact, it doesn't appear the folks responsible for these (costly and time-consuming) Richmond initiatives have read ANY of the extensive published materials about what the Creative Class is, what it wants, and how to attract and retain it.
Because if they had, they would have found this definition on Wikipedia:
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Florida describes the Creative Class as comprising 40 million workers—30 percent of the U.S. workforce—and breaks the class into two broad sections, derived from Standard Occupational Classification System codes:
- Super-Creative Core: This group comprises about 12 percent of all U.S. jobs. It includes a wide range of occupations (e.g. science, engineering, education, computer programming, research), with arts, design, and media workers forming a small subset. Florida considers those belonging to this group to “fully engage in the creative process” (2002, p. 69). The Super-Creative Core is considered innovative, creating commercial products and consumer goods. The primary job function of its members is to be creative and innovative. “Along with problem solving, their work may entail problem finding” (Florida, 2002, p. 69).
- Creative Professionals: These professionals are the classic knowledge-based workers and include those working in healthcare, business and finance, the legal sector, and education. They “draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems” using higher degrees of education to do so (Florida, 2002).
In addition to these two main groups of creative people, the usually much smaller group of Bohemians is also included in the Creative Class.
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This took me five (5) seconds to find, with a Google search for "Creative Class" and Richard Florida.
Now, people may not believe it, but I appreciate what the Powers That Be are trying to do. But it bugs the ever-living-you-know-what out of me when it is done poorly and wastes resources that could be better spent on other initiatives that would benefit the entire City, rather than one limited area. I'll explain later the specifics of why I'm completely annoyed with Venture Richmond, RVA Creates, and now the Shockoe Design District. Here's the very short version: Labels and perceptions matter. You are intentionally or unintentionally excluding a huge number of the Creative Class you want to keep, by focusing only on the "design professionals," restaurant owners, and Bottom-dwelling urbanites. I sure as heck don't see any resources being flung around to attract and retain the bankers who live in the Munford School District, or the realtors who live in Westover Hills, or the young lawyers who live in Bellevue.
You've got the Creative Class wrong. And I'm also sick of constantly hearing about Shockoe Bottom. I've got an idea. I'll make and sell a T-shirt that says "Richmond. It's All About the Bottom." With a big ole' graphic of a hiney on it. Maybe then I can get my creative punch card stamped.
Meantime, this non-creative, non-young, non-hipster urban dweller and lifelong Richmond resident needs to go make a living.
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