arts & business council

MetLife Foundation National Arts Forums Series

Arts & Business Council of Miami
Wolfsonian-FIU Museum
Miami, Florida

Creative Dividend: Developing a Road Map to Brand the Creative Cluster in Miami
01/20/2004

A program and discussion that was long overdue was the most common comment we heard following the MetLife Foundation National Arts Forum on the Creative Cluster held January 20, 2004, at the Wolfsonian-FIU Museum in Miami Beach. Participants were expressing their interest in the importance of the creative industries in Miami. The Arts & Business Council of Miami was at the forefront in creating a forum to highlight the growing interest in branding the creative cluster industries in Miami.

The evening began with more than 130 participants mingling over wine and hors d’ouevres in the museum galleries. At 6:30, participants moved into the auditorium for the forum. Program facilitator Anthony Rogers, managing director at LaSalle Financial Group, set the stage for the discussion with an explanation about the creative industries. The new economy is the creative economy, a market built with entrepreneurs, small business, and corporations that value creativity and believe in a future driven by the power of ideas. Ideas are the growth engines of tomorrow, so the nurturing of the communities where ideas can flourish is the key to success. Ideas take root where creativity is cultivated and creativity thrives where communities are committed to ideas. Creative communities are vibrant, humanizing places, nurturing personal growth; sparking cultural and technological breakthroughs; producing jobs and wealth; and accepting of a variety of lifestyles, cultures, and art forms. This evening we explored the economic impact of the creative industries and discussed opportunities for partnerships and collaborations. The creative cluster industries include nonprofit arts, entertainment, cultural tourism, architects and design, music, art colleges, entertainment law, film, preservation, graphic design, advertising, and related business. Mr. Rogers introduced the panelists and explained the importance of the forum. He described it as being "one of the most important discussions our community can have."

Donna Shaw, the newly appointed director of the Department of Tourism and Cultural Development for Miami Beach, began by welcoming participants to Miami Beach. Her vision—to create a magnet for talent and continue Miami Beach’s strong tradition of support for the arts—depends on the success of the creative industries. She said it is important to brand a creative industry that will solidify the support of elected officials and local companies. Ms. Shaw believes that we need to work together to create the creative capital we need and to foster a vocabulary to further enhance our community.

Robert Swindell is senior vice president of the Broward Alliance, an organization charged with community economic development in Broward County. He spoke about the group’s recent project, "Vision Broward," which resulted in the development of a Creative Industry Council. Mr. Swindell said that the creative class makes up 30 percent of the workforce in Broward County. New jobs are being developed in these industries while traditional industries are losing jobs. Part of his job includes meeting with businesses throughout the United States and the Caribbean that are considering moving to or doing business in South Florida. In his travels he has seen that more and more corporate decision-makers are interested in cities that enrich the creative class, value diversity, and offer a high quality of life.

Michael Spring, director of the Miami-Dade Department of Cultural Affairs, presented impressive facts about the nonprofit arts industry in Miami Dade. He said that Miami is the fastest-growing cultural center in the United States and has proven to be a model for other urban centers. There are more than 1,100 nonprofit cultural groups in the area that employ more than 13,000 people. Miami is a community aspiring to be one of the great cities in the 21st century. Miami-Dade is the model for the new U.S. city, one that is diverse, multicultural, and multilingual. The arts and other creative industries play an important role in continuing to develop the international city we envision.

Seth Gordon, managing partner of Gordon Reyes & Company and chair of the City of Miami Arts & Entertainment Council, is a civic leader and board member of several community and arts groups. He has long played a role in developing and envisioning unique partnerships between the creative industry companies and related industries. He discussed real estate developers as the new investors in the creative revolution because they value the future and are tied into the success of a community and its neighborhoods. Arts in the neighborhoods and creative programs that happen throughout the city are gathering momentum. People want the cafes, the galleries, and the ambience of Lincoln Road and Miracle Mile. The creative industries make these areas the attractions they are.

George Knox is managing partner of the Knox Firm. He focused his presentation on the empowerment of a city.He has served on several cultural and community boards and was very involved with Miami’s Empowerment Zone initiatives. The creative industries can play an important role in invigorating the underserved and disadvantaged neighborhoods. Government at all levels is investing money and talent in rejunvinating these communities. Artists, entrepreneurs, and arts organizations are setting up studios, galleries, performance venues, and small businesses. Everyone has a shared vision in seeing these neighborhoods prosper. The creative class has always played an important role as the trendsetter and the visionary.

Dennis Leyva, entertainment industry liaison for Miami Beach, discussed the growth of the entertainment industries in South Florida and the great impact this has on the local economy. The great success of the entertainment industries in Miami Beach has resulted in the development of national awards programs and national conferences that bring international recognition to our area. He talked about MTV Latin America’s decision to select Miami Beach as its headquarters. It chose Miami Beach because it sees it as the city of the future and the hub of commerce between Latin America and the United States. He also talked about how the growth of our local cultural community led to an international event like ArtBasel selecting Miami Beach as the venue for its world-class event. Miami Beach and other local communities came together and showcased the arts for the thousands of arts patrons and collectors that attended. The museums all worked together to develop programs and outreach for participants and media from through out the world. The arts were featured from Ocean Drive to Lincoln Road, from the Design District to Wynwood, from Coral Gables to South Dade. The officials from ArtBasel were impressed and have committed to coming back to Miami Beach.

Deborah Mas, dean of academic affairs at Miami International University of Art and Design, spoke about the importance of letting the creative mind develop. She proudly expressed that the 1,500 students at her university do amazing things in the classroom and in the community. The university has a commitment to South Florida, encouraging students to share their creative skills with nonprofit and civic organizations. We focus on creating an environment where risk taking is the norm...higher education has to focus on creative solving problems, she said. College students are the future patrons of the arts, the future developers of creative capital, and the future business leaders of creative industries. We need to develop this discussion about the creative cluster with students and young professionals. We need to expand the work of the young creatives out of the classroom and into the workroom and the office. They are energized, motivated, and innovative with new ideas for growth and the future.

Jeff Peel, director of the Miami-Dade Mayor’s Office of Film and Entertainment, touched on the growth and maturation of our local film industry. Our beautiful weather, unique architecture, and diversity make us a perfect setting for feature films, commercials, and photographs. He said the work generated here employs thousands of people. Film naturally creates collaborations with other creative industries and puts a spotlight on Miami and our environment. The success of the film industry has showcased our community for other entertainment industries around the world. We have only touched the tip of the iceberg in the potential we have to develop and grow in this area. He believes we need to focus on empowering and increasing the local creative individuals so our film industry can grow.

Neil Crilly, executive director of the Florida Chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Science (NARAS), thinks that the creative class can really help in the redevelopment of the city. He says the creative class often sets up in affordable neighborhoods and provides the "engine" for redevelopment. Miami is a natural incubator for Latin music and our own unique sound. Miami was proud to host the Latin Grammys last year as the event highlighted the importance of Miami in Latin music. The music industry is one that has great outreach to youth and teens. NARAS has important outreach programs in schools to bring music and the arts to students. We need to do more work in convincing our elected officials about the importance of funding arts education in our schools. We need to teach children to explore their creativity and teach them about working in a creative industry.

Entertainment Lawyer Barry Chase started his presentation by the listing the pros and cons of Miami. Miami is a desirable place to live, it is bilingual, and it is geographically accessible to the Caribbean and Latin America. We need to do more in developing our own city, however. We need to develop our own voice in literature, create our own unique sound in music, and grow our talent base. As an attorney, and previously as an executive in public television, Mr. Chase has a long history of working with artists, musicians, and entertainment professionals. To empower the creative class in Miami, professional bankers, finance managers, lawyers, and other professions need to help create an environment that is conducive to starting small business and creative endeavours.

Following the presentations, audience members were invited to ask questions and make comments. Most of the comments centered around the importance of this discussion and the need for us to continue the dialogue. Board members from arts groups asked questions about diversity and how to reach the corporations that value creativity. One board member from a large group asked how we reach the professionals in the large corporations who have a creative background or a love of creativity and the arts. Artists asked questions about making a living as a working creative and discussed the need for us to value the work of our local artists. One artist lamented the lack of public art murals in neighborhoods throughout the city. Another asked why more corporations don’t buy the work of local artists to hang in their offices. Filmmakers asked about developing a pool of investors for new works. Arts administrators asked how we can use the strengths of the local cultural community to partner with entertainment companies and other creative industries. Many participants asked how we could take this message to our elected officials and to Tallahassee.

As we analyze this forum, we see the overall message is one of hope for the future of creative industries in Miami and a desire to continue the discussion to place Miami-Dade in the forefront of creative communities. Due to the intense interest in continuing this dialogue, the Arts & Business Council of Miami asked participants to provide their e-mail address. We will develop a Creative Industry e-group where we will share information. We will also host future small-scale roundtable discussions in neighborhoods throughout our community. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said "A creative economy is the fuel of magnificence."