How should we define Colorado's Creative Economy?
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Louisiana's Cultural Economy includes culinary arts, design, entertainment, literary, visual arts & crafts and preservation. Add Your Comments now to help us define what should be included in our definition of Colorado's Creative Economy.
Participants at the Nov. 12 meeting said that elements of Colorado's creative economy include western and mining heritage, native american and hispanic cultures, skiing and recreation, the beauty of our environment, the diversity of our people, unique communities, festivals and signature events, world class institutions and architecture, the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, a strong entrepreneurial and frontier mindset, high levels of education, micro-breweries, wineries, a regional hub for commerce and transportation, archeological riches, depth and breadth of creative talent.
What would you add to that list? How should we define Colorado's creative economy?
Comments
"Whatever is boldly asserted and plausibly maintained"
When I was in law school a professor frustrated with the students' collective desire to want to know what "The Law" was on a number of topics said: "you all need to get over the notion that there is any such thing as The Law. The Law," she said, "is whatever is boldly asserted and plausibly maintained." She was exaggerating, of course, but to make a point. The Law is a tool to be used by citizens and businesses and their attorneys to do what they want and need to do. It changes because people and businesses get it to change in response to changes in life and society.
It seems to me that what "culture" is can be an equally malleable concept, equally responsive to local needs, circumstances, and eras.
I was amazed 6 years ago on a cultural exchange trip to France to learn how ecumenically the French define "culture" -- sports can be culture; video games can be culture.... No wonder their statistics for cultural participation are so dauntingly high; they open their arms and embrace a wide variety of activities and then count them and the people participating in them. By contrast, I suspect that most Americans hearing the word "culture" think immediately of a limited list of what are generally considered high-brow, intellectual, perhaps even effete activities engaged in or institutions supported by only a self-defined sophisticated and small sub-set of the population. In the US we arguably ghettoize culture instead of using it as the most basic common denominator.
So, to bring this comment to an end, I would urge us, as that law professor was suggesting, to think boldly, but be prepared to back up our positions with plausible, real evidence. Also, if we are in essence creating a brand, we need to identify and highlight those authentic things that distinguish us and our brand from our neighbors and competitors and their brands. We have to focus our brand and not claim more than we can prove. We need to use our definition to draw together the stakeholders this cause needs for success, which must be a wide, ecumenical list. And we need to think about how our definition will empower leadership for this movement, both titular leaders and stakeholder members who see the value for themselves and their own organizations in being tireless members of the movement.
Define Colorado's Creative Economy
Colorado's creative economy needs to be defined more by process than product. It is the creative process that creates economic value. Given this definition, the creative economy means people, not things. Creative sector employees and businesses are drawn to, and in no small measure demand, a creative environment in which to function.
It is within this environment that the arts and arts education provide a barometer of the health of the creative sector and the creative economy.
let's prune and focus the list!
the elements you list are all true, but not all support the creative economy. you need to pick which are most powerful. the frontier mindset, independent spirit and openness to new ideas will fuel the creative sector in CO, and are authentic to who we are.
you cannot be everything or even try to include too broad a scope or you won't be meaningful, so positioning and messaging focus will be important.