In these spaces, underground creativity takes form, disparate ideas coalesce into tangible products, and connections spark between individuals across the spectrum.
This fertile middle-ground fosters cross-pollination of ideas and talent, fueling innovation and propelling the creative ecosystem forward.
To unlock the economic power of creative industries, cities must nurture all levels of the ecosystem, not just the polished upper-ground.
Urban planning initiatives can create vibrant middle-ground spaces, while targeted policies can attract and empower the often-overlooked "creative class" of the underground.
[8] There have been critiques of the creative city idea claiming it is only targeted at hipsters, property developers and those who gentrify areas or seek to glamorize them thus destroying local distinctiveness.
A valid concern has been the conscious use of artists to be the vanguard of gentrification, to lift property values and to make areas safe before others move in, otherwise referred to as artwashing.
In other words, Florida's prescriptions in favor of fostering a creative class are, rather than being revolutionary, simply a way of bolstering the conventional economic model of the city.
There is a tendency for cities to adopt the term without thinking through its real organizational consequences and the need to change their mindset.
[13] Landry's original Creative City vision, focused on holistic urban transformation, has yielded to a Florida-centric model prioritizing economic innovation and its skilled workforce.
This shift has reduced the Creative City to a mere business tool, a far cry from its initial ambition to reshape urban policy.
All cities recognized as a member of the UCCN agree that creativity acts as a strategic factor of sustainable development.