Comments on: The Bohemian Factor http://www.creativeclass.com/_v3/creative_class/2007/02/28/the-bohemian-factor/ The source on how we live, work and play Wed, 07 Dec 2011 18:10:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Richard http://www.creativeclass.com/_v3/creative_class/2007/02/28/the-bohemian-factor/comment-page-1/#comment-789 Richard Thu, 01 Mar 2007 16:01:28 +0000 http://zstation/creativeclass/v3/creative_class/2007/02/28/the-bohemian-factor/#comment-789 Bill - No sweat. I've seen this issue from two directions. One the one side, there's the squelchers who try to sidestep facts and evidence and instead with a wisecrack: "How can you expect to build jobs around guys with ripped tee-shirts playing guitar on the street." But on the other, there's those who use this very nuanced kind of finding to say: "Well, gee OK, now we have all the facts we need to go out a build a brand new concert hall." It's about human energy and human capability - vibrant, energizing communities - really not big buildings. Glad this helped. Bill – No sweat. I’ve seen this issue from two directions. One the one side, there’s the squelchers who try to sidestep facts and evidence and instead with a wisecrack: “How can you expect to build jobs around guys with ripped tee-shirts playing guitar on the street.” But on the other, there’s those who use this very nuanced kind of finding to say: “Well, gee OK, now we have all the facts we need to go out a build a brand new concert hall.” It’s about human energy and human capability – vibrant, energizing communities – really not big buildings. Glad this helped.

]]> By: Bill Dawers http://www.creativeclass.com/_v3/creative_class/2007/02/28/the-bohemian-factor/comment-page-1/#comment-788 Bill Dawers Thu, 01 Mar 2007 05:35:00 +0000 http://zstation/creativeclass/v3/creative_class/2007/02/28/the-bohemian-factor/#comment-788 Thanks for the response and the insight. Thanks for the response and the insight.

]]> By: Richard http://www.creativeclass.com/_v3/creative_class/2007/02/28/the-bohemian-factor/comment-page-1/#comment-787 Richard Thu, 01 Mar 2007 02:34:36 +0000 http://zstation/creativeclass/v3/creative_class/2007/02/28/the-bohemian-factor/#comment-787 Bill - You're initial point is exactly right. It's an organic, emergent, self-organizing kind of process. Not top-down. You can't hope to plop down what I call an SOB -symphony, opera and ballet - and think it will work. Nor should every hamlet try to provide the full fleet of cultural offerings. The key actually is working artists and musicians. Places that have them have a broader ecology that is open to self-expression and individual mobilization of resources around ideas/ That's just what entrepreneurs are looking for and need. So communities should try to nurture and support these self-organizing things, well, by "seeding them" - perhaps providing small scale grants or venture-like funding, helping provide cheap space, making sure regulations don't hinder artists and music spaces and relaxing ones that do, and just making sure these scenes are "lubricated" not squelched. Bill – You’re initial point is exactly right. It’s an organic, emergent, self-organizing kind of process. Not top-down. You can’t hope to plop down what I call an SOB -symphony, opera and ballet – and think it will work. Nor should every hamlet try to provide the full fleet of cultural offerings. The key actually is working artists and musicians. Places that have them have a broader ecology that is open to self-expression and individual mobilization of resources around ideas/ That’s just what entrepreneurs are looking for and need. So communities should try to nurture and support these self-organizing things, well, by “seeding them” – perhaps providing small scale grants or venture-like funding, helping provide cheap space, making sure regulations don’t hinder artists and music spaces and relaxing ones that do, and just making sure these scenes are “lubricated” not squelched.

]]> By: Bill Dawers http://www.creativeclass.com/_v3/creative_class/2007/02/28/the-bohemian-factor/comment-page-1/#comment-786 Bill Dawers Thu, 01 Mar 2007 02:27:15 +0000 http://zstation/creativeclass/v3/creative_class/2007/02/28/the-bohemian-factor/#comment-786 Is this a chicken/egg issue? Are the arts simply nurtured more in places that already have an educated, well-paid workforce and a sizable number of longtime residents who are active in cultural philanthropy and in the collecting of art? I'm certainly not calling into question the value of nurturing the arts or the contribution a vibrant culture makes to a livable city, but I'm not sure luring the arts would necessarily work. Would every city, for example, have the support base to support a ballet company or opera or symphony? Does your research address this issue in any way? Is this a chicken/egg issue? Are the arts simply nurtured more in places that already have an educated, well-paid workforce and a sizable number of longtime residents who are active in cultural philanthropy and in the collecting of art?

I’m certainly not calling into question the value of nurturing the arts or the contribution a vibrant culture makes to a livable city, but I’m not sure luring the arts would necessarily work. Would every city, for example, have the support base to support a ballet company or opera or symphony?

Does your research address this issue in any way?

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