GrowinG Future innovators - ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative ...

36 Landry (2000, 2006)
37 Landry (2010)
38 Florida (2003, 2007)
39 Florida (2007: back cover)
40 Florida (2008)
41 www.committeeforperth.
com.au
42 Committee for Perth
(2008:3)
43 Committee for Perth
(2008:9)
44 www.form.net.au
45 Anholt (2008)
46 Hetherington (2008: 32)
47 Department of Culture and
the Arts (2010)
48 Department of Culture and
the Arts (2005)
Thinking about an innovative and creative
workforce has coincided with the rise
of urban development and the ‘creative
cities’ rhetoric popularized by Landry 36
amongst others. This discourse encourages
governments and citizens of cities to
“transform their thinking so that they look
at their potential imaginatively and can plan
and act with originality.” 37 It also supports the
clustering of activities that connect sciences,
technologies, arts and design. Healthy and
flourishing cities, it is argued, are places
where community aspirations of creativity
and innovation should become manifest.
Creative cities are the product of what
Richard Florida has famously termed the rise
of the ‘creative class.’ 38 He posits that the role
and awareness of creativity in work and life
has significantly transformed “our values and
tastes, our personal relationships, our choices
of where to live, and even our sense and use
of time.” 39 It provides the competitive edge in
industry and business while also broadening
options for lifestyle and leisure. According
to Florida, the creative class as an economic
and cultural force has grown to the point
where it now determines which workplaces
and cities thrive and which whither. His latest
book, Who’s your city, takes the emboldened
view that “the creative economy is making
the place where you live the most important
decision of your life.” 40
The case of Perth, Western
Australia
The capital city of Perth is a striking case
of the rising creativity and innovation
agenda and interest in this from across
the community. Many voices have been
contributing to an ongoing conversation
about the direction and vitality of Perth, with
dialogue actively pursued by business, cultural
and education sectors.
Exemplifying business sector demand for
more emphasis on creativity and innovation
is The Committee for Perth (TCP), an
apolitical think tank established in 2006 to
“actively improve the liveability of Perth.” 41
In 2008, with support from Curtin University,
TCP undertook community and business
consultation towards the research and
publication of a Cultural compact, which
offers a ten-year vision for Perth. It proposes
strategies for creating a dynamic “city of the
future” that is “vibrant and innovative with a
sense of place.” 42 It imagines Perth as a place
where cultural appreciation and activity are
a part of everyday life, where young artists
are supported and incubated, and where
creators of “bold and courageous art” are
encouraged. 43
This theme has also been pursued in the work
undertaken by FORM, a Perth based cultural
organisation that seeks “to place creativity and
innovation at the centre of Western Australia’s
growth of a knowledge economy.” 44 FORM
pursues this objective by staging various
regional, indigenous and industry development
projects, and ‘place activation’ schemes. It also
hosts internationally renowned innovation
and creativity experts, such as Charles Landry,
Richard Florida, and John Howkins amongst
others, who are able to invigorate debate. It’s
2008 research report, Comparative capitals,
surveys eight Australian cities, rating them in
terms of their capacity to: keep and attract
young, educated and creative workers; foster
innovation across industries; and nurture
liveable city environments. Amongst its
findings, the report suggests that Perth is a
city yet to fully and strategically ‘brand’ itself, 45
and that:
Perth needs creative credibility. The
demographic data tell us that the city
suffers from an imbalance within its
creative professional base… Like all cities,
Perth requires creativity and innovation
to maintain its community vitality and
economic dynamism. 46
Western Australia’s arts and education
policies champion a strong creativity agenda,
albeit with little reference to innovation
itself. The vision outlined in Creating value:
An arts and culture sector policy framework
2010-2014, 47 emphasises creative people,
communities, economies and environments.
Creative connections: An arts in education
partnership framework (2005) 48 acknowledges
that education systems need renewal in the
era of the creative and knowledge-based
economy, and that the arts can play a role in
this. The framework thus strives for:
broad public policy and community
recognition of the importance of the
arts in developing the unique intellectual
and personal capacities of all young
Growing future Innovators: a scoping study 15