On a tangent for a moment – an interesting debate that came out of a tute class last year was to do with the KG UV (aka Kelvin Grove Urban Village), and again the other day with a town planning student now working with a company on the UV: One of the key concepts behind the design of the UV was to build and then foster a ‘creative hub’ that would bring together intellect, imagination, innovation, inspiration (how many other I words can come up with here?) etc. in a creative environment. For what purpose? Because creativity fosters creativity of course! And creativity is good for all right? So I agree with this well enough, but my question is – can you actually build and foster something like this? Isn’t attempting to artificially construct this sort of environment ignoring the essence of these creative hubs? Nobody would have guessed 10-20 years ago that West End or Fortitude Valley (previously what some would call dreg areas of Brisbane) would turn into these insanely expensive, highly sort after, culturally intense, and now almost pretentious areas! I see creative hubs as something that just sort of happens naturally (almost like creativity itself), and if you try and force these environments to grow then it simply ends up destroying (or at least disbanding) them. I honestly don’t think that just because you put chic restaurants with modern architecture and some funky sculptures that creativity will automatically be born. The collective support networks built by struggling artists and expanded as they grew from one another that these original creative hubs spawned from cannot be made. Alright enough, I’m not bringing anything new to my argument. And sure maybe this little blog is just a vent against what the KG UV likes to call “student accommodation” consisting of ridiculously priced absolutely tiny rental rooms that the vast majority of students wouldn’t even come close to being able to afford… but have a think about whether planning this creative hub is actually going to be conducive to bringing in and nurturing a creative spirit. Invitation to comment PLEASE!
6 comments:
Hey there,
I don't know if I have anything particularly mind boggling to write but I like this topic of debate so thought I'd just leave a comment. I agree with your comment on the Kelvin Grove Urban Village "student" accomodation - it is rediculously priced to be termed "student" accomodation. I definitely think it's unfortunate that there is no more affordible option for QUT students to live on campus. I guess QUT is trying to differentiate itself from the competition, primarily being UQ, where campus living is far more basic and "budget"......... As for the Urban Village as a creative hub, well I can see where you are coming from - true creativity is spontaneous and cannot be manufactured. However I like the idea that QUT is fostering further development of already creative talent, providing opportunities and resources which otherwise may not be available to some. I like the concept of "Creative Industries" as a whole - rather than segmenting the various artforms we all get the chance to interact and collaborate and I don't think many unis actually offer that. I guess you get that in naturally formed creative hubs too though - KGUV just provides another (different) opportunity and I think Brisbane needs all the support for artists we can get!! I don't think any promotion of, and opportunity for the many talented Brisbane artists to showcase their work can be a bad thing.
I don't think I have any right answer to the question of whether you can build a creative hub - but I guess there are probably examples of successes and failures if you looked on a global scale. In terms of our local KGUV - I guess only time will tell. I do agree though, that the best art and creative output will always stem from spontaneous collaboration and the natural growth of creative hubs. This is part of the authenticity of art.
Can only offer directions:
Possibly either talk to Anna Rooke who is CEO of Creative Industries Pty Ltd and/or look up her background.
I am assuming that the concept of Brisbane/Kelvin Grove creative hub was built upon her previous projects in the UK which seem to be very successful. Hence the immediate position of CEO for CIP Pty Ltd when she moved to Australia.
There should be snippets floating around the net...
Here's a WP link: http://createbris.wordpress.com/
I first saw her at a workshop last year and at a World Intellectual Property Day seminar last month.
A couple of other ideas:
- Need to create a physical space where people can work in, imagine, experiment etc. Not just a physical space, but a centralised physical space.
- Need to develop physical clusters/networks so that people can be with other like-minded people.
It's just a term they can market the apartments with. You're exactly right, your standard student can't come close to affording these apartments, so how can they justify charging the price they do for excessively feng-shui'd block apartments in a part of town that is really only convenient for students? They call it a creative hub.
When creative people get together, it's a creative hub.
The KG UV's 'facilitation' goes as far as asking creative people to move in and hoping they will come together to collaborate and plan events.
Ironic, when you think about it that this occured at the same time as the uni was closing down its Arts and Humanities faculties.
This is a really, really interesting thought Ella! However, I tend to think that something can be manufactured, with the point of inspiring creativity. I think that artificially constructing something for the purpose of bringing together intellect, imagination, etc. is really only providing a guideline of what the outcome should be. The creativity of the original planners, architects, interior designers and whoever else can still undoubtedly be seen by all. We can look at the typical barrier to creativity as being a sterile environment, a demand for quick production, criticisms and rigid rules or barriers (Obstacles to Creativity, 1999). I think that an environment that has been created with all of this in mind would help to facilitate creativity, although the original workers on this project may have thought otherwise.
I know personally, that areas that have involved other’s hard work and creativity inspire me just as much as an area that has naturally progressed to gain status of a ‘creative hub’. I don’t think there is any real explanation for this. People are inspired by all sorts of different things. Coloured pencils inspire me sometimes.
I don’t think of the KG UV to be a slap-together area with modern architecture and funky sculptures (I’m not saying you are either) but I prefer to see it as a type of art gallery where the collective creative genius of individuals comes together to be on display. The fact that it was a planned collaboration only provides a guide on the art; I don’t think it restricts the art itself to an extreme extent.
This is a topic that I don’t think has a resolve, as the issue of creativity and inspiration is completely unique to each person. It may be a trait, a state or simply a process defined by its products (Harnad, 2001). Overall I hope that the KG Creative Hub does inspire creativity for at least one person who sees it as a peaceful and stimulating atmosphere.
References
Harnad, S. 2001. Creativity: Method or Magic? http://cogprints.org/1627/1/harnad.creativity.html (accessed 11 May 2008)
Obstacles to Creativity. 1999. http://members.optusnet.com.au/charles57/Creative/Basics/obstacles.htm (accessed 11 May 2008)
Post a Comment