and the Opportunity to Tell It, Sell It

Rather than reinvent the wheel, this report starts with what we know about creative cities in general3 and Toronto in particular.

Creative people…

— Define a city’s identity, create ‘buzz’ and energy
— Regenerate urban neighbourhoods
— Promote social inclusion Creative workers…
— Enhance creative capacity – new ideas, product development, creative solutions
— Spur innovation and re-invent traditional sectors
— Add value and increase productivity throughout the economy

Creative industries…
— Provide jobs – new career paths and opportunities
— Diversify the employment base
— Increase investment, income and exports

Creative activity…
— Helps the city and employers to grow, attract and retain talent
— Promotes city aesthetics and innovative projects, instils civic pride

As demonstrated in the following discussion, the Toronto region4 is well positioned to nurture and grow all of the elements of the city’s creative ecology. Its future success will depend on its ability to enrich the local environment for creativity to attract and retain creative people, and enhance the creative capabilities of workers and businesses across the economy.

Toronto is currently undergoing a cultural renaissance, growing in profile and becoming recognized internationally for its vibrant cultural industries and rejuvenated cultural institutions that harness the breadth and diversity of talent in the region. Since the economic downturn of the early 1990’s, employment in creative industries has grown considerably faster than overall employment. Recognition of our creative and cultural assets is also building through initiatives like the City of Toronto’s ‘Live with Culture’ campaign.

Toronto now has an opportunity to capitalize on its cultural and creative strengths. But the region faces real challenges before it can do so. The goal of this project is to produce a strategy that addresses the current needs of the region’s creative economy, that promotes its future growth and that leverages these creative assets to enhance economic and social opportunity.