An overview of the Creative Class theory and its three Ts (Talent, Technology, and Tolerance). Prepared by Kevin Stolarick of the Martin Prosperity Institute as part of TVOntario's AgendaCamp series on Ontario's changing economy.

1. Overview of Creative Class
and the “3Ts”
Kevin Stolarick, PhD
Research Director

2. What is the “Creative Class”?
2

3. What is the Creative Class?
What You Do (Job Occupation)
vs.
Where You Work (Industry)
10 Year Job Growth Estimate
Working Sector 10%
•
• Service Sector 14%
• Creative Sector 20%

4. Who Works in Creative Class?
Creative Economy: TAPE
T = Technology and R&D Innovation
A = Arts and Culture
P = Professional and Managerial
E = Educating and Training

5. Why Occupations?
Among all people who either work in the IT industry
or work in an IT occupation (or both):
–50.2% work in an IT occupation but not in the IT industry
–25.7% work in the IT industry but aren't in an IT occupation
–Only 24.1% work in an IT occupation in the IT industry
IT Occupations IT Industry

6. The Rise of the Creative Class

7. The Rise of the Creative Class

8. U.S. Creative Class Economy
Creative Service Working
Workers (Talent) 40,379,520 59,769,270 31,949,350
% of Workforce 30.5% 45.1% 24.1%
% of Wages 48.8% 30.4% 20.6%

9. U.S. Creative Class
• 30 (% of the workforce)
• 40 (million people)
• 50 (% of the wages)
• 70 (% of the discretionary income)

10. Canada & Ontario’s Creative Economy
Creative Service Working
Workers (Talent) 4,874,885 5,788,767 3,333,726
Canada
35.5% 38.7% 23.0%
% of Workforce
Workers (Talent) 2,027,152 2,210,604 1,311,995
Ontario
33.2% 39.4% 22.7%
% of Workforce

11. The “3Ts” of Regional Growth
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12. The “3Ts”
Regional
Growth
Technology

13. Technology
“A high technology base is both a
necessary condition for and a result
of a region having a strong creative
economy.
Being known as a quot;high-techquot; region
helps to attract the creative
workforce, which, in turn, generates
new technologies making the region
even more high-tech.”

14. Technology
High Technology:
•
–Concentration of high-tech
companies
–Growth of high-tech companies
Innovation:
•
–# of patented innovations per
1,000 people
–Growth in patented innovations

15. The “3Ts”
Talent
Regional
Growth
Technology

16. Talent
“The concentration of people in the
Creative and Super Creative Classes,
has a stronger relationship with
economic growth.
Creative people don't just cluster
where the jobs are. They cluster in
places that are centers of creativity
and also where they like to live.
Places need a people climate -- or a
creativity climate -- as well as a
business climate.”

17. Talent
Talent Index
•
(Bachelors Degree and above)
% Super Creative
•
(scientists, engineers, artists,
musicians, designers)
% Creative Class
•
(super creative + professionals)

18. The “3Ts”
Talent
Regional
Growth
Tolerance
Technology
(Inclusiveness)

19. Tolerance / Inclusiveness
“Diversity has become a politically
charged buzzword. To some it is an
ideal and rallying cry, to others a
Trojan-horse concept that has
brought us affirmative action and
other liberal abominations.
Creative Class people use the word
often, but not to press any political hot
buttons. Diversity is simply something
they value in all its manifestations.”

20. Tolerance / Inclusiveness
Melting Pot Index
•
(% foreign born)
Gay/Lesbian Index
•
(% gay & lesbian population)
Boho Index
•
(% culturally creative)
% Nonwhite & Non-black
•
% Interracial Marriage
•
Composite Diversity
•
Index (CDI)

21. The “Fourth T”
Talent
Regional
Growth
Tolerance
Technology
(Inclusiveness)
Territory Assets
(Amenities)

22. Territory Assets
“What Creative people look for in
communities are abundant high-
quality amenities and experiences,
an openness to diversity of all
kinds, and above all else the
opportunity to validate their
identities as creative people.
Places are valued for authenticity
and uniqueness … Authenticity
comes from several aspects of a
community … It comes from the
mix … Authenticity is the opposite
of generic.”

23. Territory Assets (Quality of Place)
Economy/Growth
•
Housing
•
Culture
•
Climate
•
Education
•
Healthcare
•
Recreation
•
Dis-amenities
•
– Crime, Weather
Transportation
•
– Connectedness

24. The “4Ts”
Talent
Regional
Growth
Tolerance
Technology
(Inclusiveness)
Territory Assets
(Amenities)

25. Creativity Index
“The key to understanding the new
economic geography of creativity and its
effects on economic outcomes lies in
the 3T's of economic development:
Technology, Talent, and Tolerance.
Each is a necessary but by itself an
insufficient condition: To attract creative
people, generate innovation and
stimulate economic growth, a place
must have all three.”

26. Creativity Index
Technology
•
Tolerance (Inclusiveness)
•
Talent
•

27. The “4Ts”
Talent
Regional
Growth and
Prosperity
Tolerance
Technology
(Inclusiveness)
Territory Assets
(Amenities)

28. Prosperity
Successful regions are not just growing …
They do no just build wealth …
Successful regions are
PROSPEROUS
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29. Defining “Prosperity”
Prosperity
The condition of being prosperous, successful, or
thriving; good fortune, success, well-being,
wealth.
Prosperous
Having continued success or good fortune;
consistently successful, esp. economically;
flourishing, thriving.
Oxford English Dictionary

30. Dimensions of Prosperity
Growth Environment/Green
• •
• Wealth/Money • Participation / Social Capital
• Welfare • Achieving Potential
– Education • Happiness/Satisfaction
– Healthcare
• Magnetism
– Wellness/Health
• Competitiveness
Productivity
•
• City Size
• Taxes
• ∆’s (changes over time)
• Social Contract
• Cultural/Arts Measures
• Equality/Affordability
• Sustainability
• Inclusiveness
• Others?

31. For More Information
• Richard Florida’s books
– “The Rise of the Creative Class”
– “The Flight of the Creative Class”
– “Who’s Your City?”
• martinprosperity.org
• creativeclass.com
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32. Thank You
Kevin Stolarick
kms@rotman.utoronto.ca