Understanding the Creative Class: An exploration of a community and its connections to the arts

Abstract

Understanding the Creative Class deeply explores the concept of the Creative Class, studying its creation, meaning, how it is viewed and the role it has played in the years since its inception by the work of Richard Florida. I studied the concept of the Creative Class along with its member’s characteristics to understand their/its possible impact on the arts. Reading Florida’s Rise of the Creative Class and various articles and reviews on his work, I studied the varying opinions that help shape the concept. With a thorough understanding of the Creative Class, I was able to study the possible impact of the Creative Class on the arts. Comparing museum visitor demographics to the demographics of the Creative class allowed for an analysis of arts participation and the creation of marketing strategies useful in attracting the Creative Class.