By: Michelle S. Royal
2011 Chair, Creative Tampa Bay
CEO and Founder, How Do You Innovate?
We are living in disruptive times. The world looks different than it did in 2003 when Creative Tampa Bay was formed. The rise of social media, cloud computing, the economic downturn, and a globally connected, highly localized community experience drive the creative economy. The creative class has embraced, if not led, the freelance and entrepreneur lifestyle. They are using and creating the technologies that we all desperately wish we had time to utilize more, or wish we had created. The convergence of technology, entrepreneurship and social change is mainstream. World changing movements can be started in a day on Facebook and longstanding cultural institutions are losing the battle of big funding. Innovation is a buzz word, “Sustainability” is practically a household product, design thinking has created rock stars on HGTV, and community is not just the place you live, but your virtual tribe online.
The good news, the creative class is more relevant now than ever, driving the solutions that make communities thrive in the 21st century. The fight for talent is a WAR. The creative class picks where they want to live and is looking for the resources to CREATE their own jobs reflecting the work they WANT to do. They LOVE their community, and it shows. Boomers are living their SECOND or third careers and want to continue working, SERVING their community and families. The creative class is COLLABORATIVE, on and off-line. And the creative class is CHANGING. We are in the midst of the age of discovery, and in this age, the curious class rules, defying the boundaries of demographics and conventional categorization of experience. We must learn to ask better questions so we can find better solutions and this, I believe, is the evolving role of Creative Tampa Bay.
Creative Tampa Bay as an organization has the opportunity to burst into its own Second Generation “career”. It is time to build on the strengths of what made it a relevant, thriving, maverick organization seven years ago, as well as the intense branding initiative of the past two years, while leading the trends that are redefining citizens, community and economic growth. Taking the lead from innovation leaders we need to think big, act small, fail fast and learn rapidly. This is an exciting time for us, and for Tampa Bay. Disruption is a catalyst for transformation.
One of the ways we are doing this is launching a partnership with Creative Loafing to CATALYZE ideas and movements within the community. The initiative is called 10, 100, 1000. We are looking for hundreds of ideas that we will distill down to the top 10 ideas over the next 100 days that are creative and game-changing to our community. Through popular vote and judging, one idea will be selected as the winner and will receive a one-time funding of $1,000.00. Our goal is to continue this initiative for 1,000 days, 100 days at a time. We are thinking big and acting small so we can support as many initiatives as possible, and encourage you to do the same.
The reality is, if it weren’t for Creative Tampa Bay, I would not be living in St. Petersburg, or be pursuing the career of my dreams. Thanks to the stellar thought-provoking leadership of this organization over the years, I have found my home and I have found my tribe. Thank you the past leadership, Kim Finn Weaver, Bryan Hunt, Justen Fox, Peter Kageyama, Melina Chavez, Donna Manion, and Anand Pellegar who are passing the torch this year, and especially to Mark Sena for his strength and example as a profound creative economy ambassador these past two years as our Board Chair. It is my honor to serve as the 2011 Board Chair of Creative Tampa Bay with the outstanding leaders on the Board.
In closing, I encourage you, our readership, to give feedback on how we can engage you more in the conversation and ACTION within the creative economy, in all its forms, and how we can support you and your efforts in the community. Together, one small act at a time, we can make a difference and continue to grow Tampa Bay as the creative hub for the 21st century.
Tags: 20100112
Some of this amazes me. As an innovation and creativity consultant, I have almost given up finding anyone in the Tampa business community who is seriously interested in innovation (I am NOT talking about all the wonderful music and art activities–they produce a climate, but not industrial innovation which is what creates jobs). I am asked to keynote and deliver workshops all around the country and teach for national groups but find no interest in Tampa. Yet groups in Tampa invite people from overseas to give talks when wizards are in their own backyard. My experience is bot alone as documented by many conversations with innovation specialists in the area who spend their time on airplanes, making money for TIA and the airlines, but not for Tampa.
Interesting perspective, Jack. Is there an idea to submit to the 10, 100, 1000 campaign in there? Perhaps something along the lines of increasing the visibility of creativity and innovation practitioners in the area who are available to provide training/services/support for community/economic development initiatives?
Your credentials on LinkedIn appear to be hard-earned and deserved, and you seem like a great candidate to “tribe-in” with!
1) attempt to break the most guiness book of world records in one location on the same day somewhere in the bay area.
2) have a week were all the followers/members of Creative Tampa Bay all promote the bay area via facebook, twitter, and blogs. Something along a “tweet a day could lead the way to a new bay” campaign.
I hope this is of some help to the 10/100/1000 project.
This by way of informing you of our initiative to develop a Cultural Center in the old Ruskin Fire Station! The County has agreed to give the station to the Ruskin Community Development Foundation, to operate as a Center for the Arts and Education! We are currently deeply involved in planning, and in fund raising to operate the Center. It will involve all the Arts, and intends to provide professional classes, workshops, performances, artist residences, etc. to serve the entire region.
Check out our website!!
Bruce Marsh
http://brucemarsh.net
Melissa thank you such compelling blog. I will working on a regional partneship program from the pacific northwest , New York City & Tampa Looking forward to participate in Creative Tampa soon
Gino