Last week over 300 people turned out at the College for Creative Studies to participate in CREATE: Detroit, the inaugural ideas fest on place making and cities, led by world-renowned urbanist and professor Richard Florida and sponsored by Rock Ventures.
A city can be judged by its diversity and commitment to community, and given the support from leading cultural organizations such as the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, educational institutions such as Wayne State University, and regional economic development organizations such as Windsor Essex County, Detroit has a powerful and dedicated coalition of passionate city builders.
In case you missed it, you can watch the discussions below.
All throughout history, cities have risen and fallen. But what makes some cities more resilient than others? What is the catalyst for renewal and change? It's the creative soul of the city.
Richard Florida opens the forum with a talk on the importance of inclusive and creative cities:
From the global mega-cities of Buenos Aires and Mexico City to the revitalizing neighborhoods of Brooklyn and Detroit, superstar entrepreneurs are scaling their businesses, fast tracking the rebirth of our communities and changing the economic landscape. Why do high-impact entrepreneurs matter? What support can cities offer? Richard Florida talks to Joanna Harries, Vice President of Endeavor Global, and Antonio Lück, Managing Director of Endeavor Detroit:
Once declared a "place where old people go to die" and young people go for fun, sun and nightclubs, Miami is now a global business destination. How has Miami ignited this transformation? How has Miami transformed itself from party or retirement beach into startup beach? Richard Florida is in conversation with Matt Haggman, Program Director at the Knight Foundation, and Gary Wasserman, Director of Wasserman Projects:
Founder and CEO Don Katz relocated Audible.com, the world's largest seller and producer of downloadable audiobooks, to downtown Newark in 2007. As a key anchor, Audible is now the fastest-growing private employer in the city. What's been the impact? And what are the lessons learned? A Newark native, Richard Florida interviews Katz:
Can a city be turned around by one wealthy enthusiast? Tech sensation Tony Hsieh sold Zappos to Amazon in 2009 for $1.2 billion. He's now committed $350 million of his own money to transform the company's new neighborhood: downtown Las Vegas. What are the lessons learned? How important is authenticity? To find out, I interviewed Maggie Hsu, Chief of Staff at Las Vegas Downtown Project:
Every human being is creative. Coalition for Queens aims to turn the borough of Queens into a high-tech hub by tapping into the creativity of Queens residents and building inclusive on-ramps to the New York's creative and tech economy. Can the tech industry be an on-ramp to the creative economy? Are there other models across the U.S.? Richard Florida speaks with Jukay Hsu, Founder of the Coalition for Queens, and Kim-Mai Cutler, a technology journalist at Techcrunch:
From the birth of Motown to the ascent of Iggy Pop and later the rise of Eminem and Kid Rock, Detroit has always been a place to innovate. Whether it's in manufacturing, design or music, creativity is in Detroit's DNA. Startups and innovative companies are sparking change in Detroit's downtown core. What's needed to continue this growth and impact? Steven Pedigo, Director of Research on our team at the Creative Class Group, talks to a panel of local experts including Melissa Price, CEO of dPOP!; Justin Mast, Managing Director of M1/DTW; Randall Fogelman, Vice President of Business Development at Detroit Eastern Market; and Veronika Scott, Founder and CEO of The Empowerment Plan:
Artists and creative of all types -- young, up-and-coming, and experienced -- are being drawn to Detroit in large numbers. How can Detroit's vibrant arts and culture scene continue to lead the way for Detroit's revitalization? What lessons can other cities take away from Detroit's efforts? Steven Pedigo talks to cultural creatives Robert Elmes, Executive Director of Galapagos Art Space; Matt Clayson, Director of Detroit Creative Corridor Center; JJ Curis, Gallery Director at Library Street Collective; Tiff Massey, a fine artist; and Amy Kaherl, Executive Director of Detroit SOUP:
Richard Florida closed out the day with final remarks about cities as our greatest inventions. How do we ensure equitable, inclusive urbanism for all? What's the path forward?
The event was also supported by local sponsors including Shinola, M1/DTW, and Planterra.
Video production by Eric R. Vancil, Darryl Sanders, and Ed McNeal for Chromatin Productions LLC.