Cadu, The biggest problem with the "creative economy" as an idea is it's an enforced one, not an emergent one. It's usually the one used by the Economic Development Centers and local governments to describe a group of people that they're not. As a result, the people that they're describing don't know or understand what they're being called, or the direct benefit it has to them.
This "insider vs outsider" effect has some potential benefits (like varied perspective), but I think that the overall impact of organizations that have built themselves to "improve the creative economy" over the last 10 years is far less than what coworking spaces have been able to demonstrate in less than half that time. Coworking, I think, highlights the same opportunities that "Creative Economists" have been talking about for a decade or more, but instead of labeling something we don't understand, we're immersing ourselves in the growth of the economies and taking the time to understand why they work, what they mean, who contributes to them, and why. In short, I think that there's undeniable potential for building economic stimulus in what we do. I think we need to be mindful of what makes us uniquely valuable, and continue to focus on that, in order to see the greatest potential outcomes from the groups we participate with. If you want to read a very long, rambly, and personal account of where I drew the line in the sand between the "real" creative economy and the people who spend lots of time and money talking about it, you can read this post. http://dangerouslyawesome.com/2009/09/the-real-deal/ Theres a lot of lost context, unfortunately, so I hope it does more good than harm...I'm 100% certain though that I'm not the first person to have felt the way I expressed in that post, and I'm also aware of coworking space catalysts and leaders around the country having similar experiences with their local EDC activities. As one more aside, my partner Geoff recently posted this as a follow up to a recent article on TEDxPhilly, and I think it succinctly captures everything I've said here: http://dangerouslyawesome.com/2010/11/dont-try-to-name-us/ -Alex /ah indyhall.org coworking in philadelphia On Mon, Dec 13, 2010 at 1:27 PM, Cadu de Castro Alves < [email protected]> wrote: > Hi, people. > > I've read an article about creative economy and think that coworking spaces > are potencial places to develop it, because most people working in this > places > are from the creative industry. > > What do you think about it? > > Abs, > > Cadu de Castro Alves > *cadu <[email protected]>*@ > <[email protected]>*beesoffice<[email protected]> > *.com <[email protected]> > Mobile: +55 21 8464-3958(OI) > SkypeID: cadudecastroalves > > *BeesOffice - Espaço de Coworking <http://beesoffice.com> RJ - Unidade: > Centro* > Rua Teófilo Otoni, 52/1203, Centro - Rio de Janeiro - RJ - CEP: 20090-070 - > Brasil > Tel./Fax: +55 21 2233-5126 > www.beesoffice.com > **Antes de imprimir* *pense em seu compromisso com o* *Meio Ambiente*. > **Before printing* *think about your commitment with the* *Environment*. > > .................................................................................................................................................................................... > > "O emitente desta mensagem é responsável por seu conteúdo e endereçamento. > Cabe ao destinatário cuidar quanto ao tratamento adequado. Sem a devida > autorização, a divulgação, a reprodução, a distribuição ou qualquer outra > ação em desconformidade com as normas internas do BeesOffice Espaço de > Coworking são proibidas e passíveis de sanção disciplinar, cível e > criminal." > > "The sender of this message is responsible for its content and addressing. > The receiver shall take proper care of it. Without due authorization, the > publication, reproduction, distribution or the performance of any other > action not conforming to BeesOffice Espaço de Coworking internal policies > and procedures is forbidden and liable to disciplinary, civil or criminal > sanctions." > > "El emisor de este mensaje es responsable por su contenido y > direccionamiento. Cabe al destinatario darle el tratamiento adecuado. Sin la > debida autorización, su divulgación, reproducción, distribución o cualquier > otra acción no conforme a las normas internas del BeesOffice Espaço de > Coworking están prohibidas y serán pasibles de sanción disciplinaria, civil > y penal." > > .................................................................................................................................................................................... > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Coworking" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]<coworking%[email protected]> > . > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en.
