Raise the Hammer

It makes no sense to limit the meaning of creative culture, creative industries or the cultural/creative sector.

Where is creative culture happening in this city? Where is citizen sponsored urban renewal actually showing hotspots? Why are these hot spots largely excluded from the definition? Aren't they what got us thinking about this process in the first place? Now the 'process' has taken over so we're ignoring them? Oh please!

An arts concentration builds community, builds our city, moves us forward. Making a lot of films no doubt actually brings more cash to city coffers in fees and licenses, but it involves very few of us, does nothing to build our community or city and is largely exploitative from start to finish as a cultural vehicle.

The attitude we're seeing is classic bureaucracy getting in the way, as it always has and does. Jane Jacobs was taking and warning us about getting involved in these processes 30 years ago. They are little more than a huge waste of time and energy for the actual creative community!

People with no experience in grassroots cultural development are controlling and mandating this process: taking control before it's even fully off to it's exploratory beginnings. Why are we bothering to even continue spending any time on it? It's a fool's game.

I know we live in the Age Of Stupid but why are WE even bothering with a process that might have had good potential BUT has been hood-winked and hijacked?

The clear way for the arts community is to band together, work together and keep moving forward as we are now, without anyone's help. The creative community is building strongly, let's concentrate on and put our energy into continuing that progress.

The Arts Crawl District on James Street North is a great example of what I'm talking about. Sure it would be great if this community were targeted as part of the creative city, but that issue is the cities. And this IS The Age of Stupid . . . We have too much else to do to spend our time on that.

We should continue to build our community and the real, on the streets, creative city. If the City or anyone else decides to help out, terrific, if not, too bad. Let's not waste time trying to effect someone else's issues, let's stick to our own.