After all of the excitement regarding Cleveland being one of the most livable cities in the world, (I am sure everybody has seen all of the newspaper articles and television spots touting it, right?) it now appears that it has nothing to do with our cultural assets, as the Mayor has espoused recently in the PD.
CoolTown Studios tells us Richard Florida, the author of the 2002 best-seller The Rise of the Creative Class, has released his current list of the top 15 cities for creative types. It is in the current issue of Fast Company.
15 hot cities for creative types
Yesterday I re-introduced Richard Florida, and as promised, here's his most current list, as featured in the November issue of Fast Company, of the hottest cities for creative types like yourself.
In no particular order:
Sacramento, CA - WIne is big, the downtown is coming around, and outdoor recreation abounds.
Phoenix, AZ - Artists like its free spirit, biotech is booming downtown, and yes, few rainy days.
Salt Lake City, UT - Mormons are big on enterpreneurship, really big. Not so much on diversity though.
San Antonio, TX - It's affordable and culturally rich, but it's diversity isn't known for collaborating.
Raleigh-Durham, NC - Three major universities are a major reason why the creative class population is at nearly 40%.
San Diego, CA - The perfect weather, biotech explosion and burgeoning downtown are fast making this city perhaps too desirable as far as housing prices go.
Portland, OR - One of the country's best models for urban planning, and more microbreweries per capita than any other city.
Madison, WI - Progressive, biotech, incredible quality of life - perennial 'best place to live'.
Tucson, AZ - Tech company leaders are attracted in droves (fifth-fastest growing in high-tech) to its desert beauty, recreation and affordability, but the city is fighting sprawl.
Colorado Springs, CO - The military presence provides a steady supply of jobs, the mountain recreation keeps workers there.
Dublin, Ireland - (Pictured) Bono helped do for Dublin what REM did for Athens - it's the place to be.
Helsinki, Finland - Beautiful, tons of recreation, safe and a high-tech magnet.
Montreal, Quebec - The creative industry thrives here, with more set and sound-stage space than any North American city, in a historic European setting.
Sydney, Australia The 'San Francisco down under', whose population represents 180 countries, 140 languages, 300 biotech companies and 20 beaches.
Vancouver, BC The hollywood of the video game industry and often referred to as the most livable city in the world.
What are we going to do now? Maybe we should make our own list. How about “Top ten cities that wish they were Cleveland.” On the other hand, “Top Ten List that have/do not have Cleveland in them” sounds good too.
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2 comments:
As a Cleveland area musician, I can definately say from my experience that the "rock and roll capital" eats its young.
I'm sure the original music scene is rough all over, but it seems especially preditory here.
I get offers to play at the Odeon and similar venues all the time - that is if I'm willing to cough up $350 - $800 to "reserve my spot on the program".
Hell, I'd play for nothing just to have the opportunity/exposure. But very few of us strugglers can afford to pay-to-play.
That's 90% of what we face here in Cleveland.
Scott -
I have heard about people paying to play before, but directly from a 'payor.'I understand how you feel. I would never pay to play. I refuse to pay to get into a bar.
If I was a musician, I would look probably just go somewhere and start playing in public. Particularly when there are other events going on in the city
sxxyd- I have heard many good things about Montreal. I may be going there in the spring. The only difference between the two cities really is population.
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