Creativity in the Urban Environment

Creativity in the Urban Environment Creative and cultural spaces Jana Sorel Introductie The creative industries determine the future of our region by ensuring a flourishing creative and cultural climate. – Flanders Creative Industries Platform (2011) Today, the knowledge and experience economy has expanded towards an economy which recognizes the importance of cultural and now also creative industries (Evans G., 2009). Creative industries are something of the 21th century, but creativity itself has been used since the 70’s to improve the development of a city. During that period, cities were empty because the process of suburbanization was going on. Then there was the awareness in the heads of policymakers that this process leads to a drain of the city centres and they tried to attract people to the city centre again by creating a space filled with artists (and other creative people) who used educational background to produce small, high-tech businesses or start-ups. It was picked up by policymakers as the way to turn the process into growth and prosperity of the cities again (Vanneste D., 2015). Bottom-up regeneration of those abandoned areas was stimulated by the creative class (Florida, 2002). Creativity took an importan t role in the cities but they didn’t talk about creative cities/hubs yet. Now, since the late 90’s creativity becomes linked with creative industries in which they focus on production and consumption of so-called creative products. Creativity is now linked with innovation and economic growth but what is a creative city exactly? According to the paper of Evans G. (2009), creative industries are now seen to comprise â€Å"those industries that have their origin in individual creativity, skill and talent and which have the potential for wealth and job creation through the generation and exploitation of intellectual property† (DCMS, 1998/2001, p. 5). Different researchers state that there’s a growing evidence that cultural and creative industries are good sources of growth and jobs, benefiting local communities, regions and states (EY, 2014). The aim of this paper is to identify the influence of creativity clusters (â€Å"creative hubs†) on the urban e nvironment, both urban neighbourhoods and communities. Influence of creativity on the urban environment Scientific research states that the cultural and creative industries play a crucial role in the development of the regional economy. Figures illustrate the growing employment and the share of these sectors in the Gross National Product (GNP) (Evans G., 2009 ; Martens B. et al., 2014). The creative industries determine a region’s future by ensuring a flourishing creative and cultural climate (Flanders Creative Industries Platform,2011) and a focus on the creative economy therefore represents the latest wave of interest in culture as a post-industrial urban revitalization strategy. However, some places are more successful than others. The importance of creativity in a place is namely not only about production but also about consumption. It’s the government that invests money in places where a lot of people and as a consequence a lot of voters live, so cities are privileged, but why†¦? Creative hubs maintain collective order through social and cultural capital in combination with distinctive institutional infrastructure. Educational institutions, trade unions and a lot of other institutions (such as museums, galleries,†¦) are present in those hubs (IPoP, 2011). Creative hubs are not only places of cultural production, but also act as places where creative know-how and competences are being preserved, interchanged and combined. In this way, fresh affluxes of new talented individuals can be assured (IPoP, 2011) and creativity and culture are now seen as knowledge-based innovation strategies. Since creative hubs go for high educated and skilled activities, research often poses that the economic factor is the most important aspect for the creation and development of creative industries. Artists’ centres make important contributions to regional economies, but also to the social, cultural and commercial lives of their neighbours. First of all, cultural and creative industries are among the EU’s biggest employers and have experienced sustained growth even through recession. Today, around 3.3 percent of the active population in Europe is (in)directly employed in creative industries (figure 1). Job creation in cultural and creative industries is still growing at a rate of 0.7% (between 2008 and 2012), even as the number of jobs in the rest of the economy fell 0.7% (EY, 2014). In most cases they are thus relatively small, but when you look at specific sectors not directly associated with cultural or creative industry sectors in ‘creative occupations’ (such as car design) numbers will be much higher, for example in the Netherlands this counts for 47% of the employment (Evans G., 2009). Figure 1: employment distribution between the different sectors in thousands 2012 (source: EY, 2014). Secondly, income can be generated for housing and local shopping, sometimes amplified by drawing tourists and visitors from surrounding areas. Money is spent in the stores and restaurants (Markusen A. Johnson A., 2006). In association with the occupation and beautification of vacant buildings, rent rises and property regenerates (Evans G.,2009). Next, according to da Cunha I.V. and Selada C., the environment of a so-called creative hub tends to be diverse, multicultural and vibrant, with the presence of foreign talents too. People are attracted to places which combine different functions such as residential, working, learning, shopping and entertainment functions. Such places foster the emergence of a good place to live, work, learn and play. In addition, â€Å"informal arts† play a critical role in building social networks and connections across communities. Studies show that for example Mexican immigrants in Chicago â€Å"use artistic and cultural practices to break down social isolation, create new social networking relationships, strengthen bonds among group members, and create local and transnational ties with [outside] institutions† (Stern M.J. Seifert S.C., 2008). Creative hubs build a bridge between different social classes, ethnicities,†¦ . Mutual exchange within these creative hubs improves bot h innovation and competitiveness, but reduces social inequalities as well. Creating a common space is probably the most challenging collaboration. In the same article, it’s argued that the engagement in cultural activities increases life quality of the inhabitants of a community because of the reinforcing social diversity. Creative activities construct and reinforce shared cultural identities among different groups of people such as immigrants, refugees, and people of colour (Grams D. Warr M., 2003). Likewise, diverse neighbourhoods house more cultural programs, cultural participants and artists because of the â€Å"open door mentality†. According to Markusen A. and Johnson A. (2006) â€Å"anyone who expresses an interest may become a member, have access to events and services at an affordable price, and apply for merit-based mentorships, funding, and exhibitions†. Nevertheless, competition and tensions can tax the energy of people inside the creative hub (Mark usen A. Johnson A., 2006). The creation/development of cultural and creative hubs is sometimes seen a possibility to draw tourists too. Researchers found a direct connection between culture and revitalization of a community (Stern M.J. Seifert S.C., 2008). Creative hubs are located in places where economic and social as well as cultural assets are available. Creative activity complements and stimulates the creation of other artistic, commercial, and community venues. As mentioned by Jacobs (1961) â€Å"mosaic of unique cultural destinations that encourage city residents to cross porous borders to visit distinctive neighbourhoods†. However, this is criticized by Evans G. (2009): â€Å"it is clear that these are judged and celebrated by their proponents in cultural, heritage and local ‘endogenous’ terms such as property and local trade (Jayne and Bell, 2004), rather than in macroeconomic market terms†. Externalities Although the development of creative hubs is stimulated and one of the main focuses is of policy makers, gentrification and the possible expansion of inequality remain the most common fears. Of particular relevance to the creative hubs is the emergence of â€Å"winner-take-all† labour markets (Stern M.J. Seifert S.C., 2008). The increased inequality can be explained by the requirements of jobs within these industries. The creative industries are namely dominated by jobs with high educational requirements (Stern M.J. Seifert S.C., 2008). This increases the opportunities for high skilled workers, but for people with less educational qualifications, the opportunity to find a job will decrease. Conclusion In this paper, different aspects are listed of how a creative hub can influence the urban environment. In many cases creativity is used as a synonym of culture, but culture doesn’t cover everything. We have to understand that culture also includes non-profit, public, and commercial organizations as well as independent artists. In addition, we have learned to recognize the importance of strong leadership, which is a key element for the success of a region. The artists’ centre must present a face to the neighbourhood and larger community, invite entry, and maintain its attractiveness. The presence of creative hubs is programming are especially important for a community’s cultural vitality. But, can a creative economy ameliorate urban poverty in the world or is the creative hub- development more a winner-takes-it-all-scenario? Sources Flanders Creative Industries Platform (2011). Creative industries in Flanders. Position paper. Florida, R., (2002). The Rise of the Creative Class: And How Its Transforming Work, Leisure and Everyday Life. New York: BasicBooks. Evans G. (2009). Creative cities, creative spaces and urban policy, Urban Studies 46(56): 1003-1040. Vanneste D. (2015). Lecture Economic and financial geography: Creative industries. Martens, B., Dobbels, J., Amez, L., Ysebaert, W. (2014). Cultuur en creativiteit in beeld: opzet van een meetinstrument voor metropool Brussel. EY (2014). Creating growth. Measuring cultural and creative markets in the EU Stern M.J. Seifert S.C. (2008). From Creative Economy to Creative Society. A neighborhood-based strategy to increase urban vitality and promote social inclusion. GIA Reader, Vol 19, No 3. Grams, D., Warr, M. (2003). Leveraging assets: How small budget arts activities benefit neighborhoods. Chicago: Richard H. Driehaus Foundation and The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Da Cunha, I. V., Selada, C. (2009). Creative urban regeneration: the case of innovation hubs.International Journal of Innovation and Regional Development,1(4), 371-386. IPoP Institute for spatial policies (2011). Potentials of creative urban regeneration. Spatial distribution of creative industries in Ljubljana Urban Region. DCMS (Department for Culture, Media and Sport) (1998) Creative industries mapping document. DCMS, London. DCMS (2001) Mapping creative industries technical document. DCMS, London. Markusen, A., Johnson, A. (2006). Artists’ centers: Evolution and impact on careers, neighborhoods and economies. 1

Dieting

A fit and healthy body is essential for one to be able to live his or her life to its fullest. One can have a quick-thinking mind and a strong and active body only if he or she is healthy. Health affords one the capacity to use and maximize all of his or her potentials. A fundamental factor in the being healthy is making sure that one’s body is getting the right kind and amount of nutrition. Thus, it is important that one has a well-balanced diet. The National Health Service defined a diet as the food which one eats over a particular of time.The recent years saw people’s obsession with their weight, losing pounds and curves, and staying thin. As such, the term diet has gotten a new connotation as the process of reducing and planning a rigid eating plan to help one lose weight. The second definition of diet is also the more popular one because of people’s increased interest in their weights. The combination of recent years’ health risks and people’s perception of attractiveness have made the second definition of dieting popular today. Though they hold various reasons for going on diets, the decision to diet is obviously for weight loss.Why is the idea of weight loss deemed so necessary and attractive nowadays? First, dieting is widespread because it is a health and life necessity for many people. A proper diet is one that is suited specifically for a person’s activities and body type. It should also include a balanced mix of all the major food groups. The fast-paced lifestyles many people lead today have prevented them from practicing a healthy diet. Those who feel they do not have the time or extra energy to prepare the right kind of food for their diet fall prey to greasy fast food and often skip on vegetables and fruits.Another problem is that many of people’s occupations now do not require them to be physically. The combination of the two has resulted in the United Kingdom reporting a 300 percent increase in t he number of overweight or obese people. As such, one reason for dieting and weight loss is to improve one’s health. Second, many professional athletes or aspiring ones view dieting as a way to keep their bodies in top physical condition. Sports require one to be in his or her best fitness levels. Athletes believe they may play better and faster and endure longer if they can improve their physical condition through highly-regimented diets.Further, there are also sports and highly physical activities such as running, gymnastics and ballet in which the participants are encouraged, almost required, to be thin and prevent weight gain as much as possible. Third, the media portrays a certain body type and look to be the single most attractive look there is as such many feel compelled to look the same. The media influences people in their formation of the definition of beauty. People are living in the age of the media, wherein the media has the power to dictate people’s belie fs.As such, whatever the media portrays as attractive or not becomes translated as the people and their culture’s real idea of beauty. Though they are not the only ones for whom this reason is true, teens are especially susceptible to this kind of influence by the media since they are in an age wherein they feel conscious about the changes happening to their bodies as well as what others think of them. Teenagers are still in the process of building their sense of identity and therefore have fragile self-esteems.Their body images, or how good they feel about their appearance, are closely tied to their sense of self-worth and self-identity. Therefore when they are constantly bombarded with media images of beauty in the form of waif-thin women and muscled men, teenagers form it in their heads that these are ideal looks that they should have. They learn to identify with the media-prescribed image of beauty. Teenagers perceive and accept cultural notion of beauty as depicted by th e media, and feel resolved to accomplish the same figures and looks by going on special weight-reducing diets.These reasons are voiced out by millions of people scattered all over the globe, thereby making the idea of dieting a very popular one. Diets have also been profitable as seen in the many diet facilities and services present. Further testaments to how widespread the idea of dieting is nowadays are the seemingly endless list of diet fads. Recent dieting fads to take center stage include liquid diet, grapefruit diet, detox diet and different reincarnations of low carbohydrates diet. These diet fads, like fashion trends are always changing because of its extreme food restrictions.These fads are never around for long because not many can force their selves into the kind of deprivation diet it requires of people. Weight loss diets easily become dull, repetitive and too limited thus people cannot stay on them for very long. The best and most realistic kind of diet is still the bal anced diet with a slightly edited calorie intake for those who seriously and medically need to lose weight. People cannot be prevented from wanting to lose weight and as such weight loss diets are still thriving businesses. Weight loss diets may be restrictive but most are generally safe to follow.The problems most people have who have discontinued dieting are the feelings of deprivation and missing the food they used to eat, and being unable to successfully fit their diets into their lifestyles. Diets only become dangerous to one’s health when they are done excessively, beyond what nutritionists have planned and what people’s bodies can handle. Pushing one’s body beyond a certain painful point can turn weight-loss diets into psychological and eating disorders. Two of the most common types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.Both are expressions of dissatisfaction with one’s body size and shape and the extreme lengths of weight lo ss. Anorexia is person’s intentional deprivation of his or her self from food intake due to the fear of becoming fat. Anorexics are also psychologically disturbed believing that they are overweight despite the fact that they are already very skinny. Earlier compliments regarding their weight loss act as anorexics’ motivation and reinforcements so that they continue their practice of not eating even when they have become unhealthily thin, exceedingly weak, sick, or near death because of hunger.On the other hand, bulimia is an eating disorder wherein one goes on excessive or binge eating then as if to negate the eating, follows it with severe and harmful methods of weight control. After an uncontrolled and massive food intake, bulimics attempt to prevent weight gain by quickly purging the food from their bodies through methods such vomiting, intense fasting and repeated use of laxatives. The repeated abuse causes bulimics to become prone to stomach and esophagus ruptures , irregular bowel movement and tooth erosion.Apart from the physical harm, bulimia is also an addiction and psychological disorder. When bulimics binge on food, they feel temporary calm and separated from their depression. However it is quickly turned over by the feelings of guilt and self-loathing which compels them to purge what used to be the object of their calmness, food. Bulimics’ self-loathing and unstable personality makes it more probable that they will perform more intense forms of self-damaging actions such as suicide. Dieting can lead to dangerous and hazardous health situations when taken to the extreme.Eating disorders stemming from a person’s desire for weight-loss represent an intense lack of self-esteem and an absence of a positive body image. The lack of these personal strengths makes people predisposed to unquestioningly accepting the media’s single and prescribed definition of beauty. Dieting is one of the tools people use to reach this beaut y goals but sometime people are unable to limit the steps the take to feel attractive and accepted. Whether due to a need to improve one’s health, stay physically fit or fit the cultural notion of beauty, diets must be made wisely and realistically.

Corporate Environmental Responsibility Sinopec’s impact...

Communication in business 100 Assessment: Critical Essay Company: Sinopec Essay Title: Corporate Environmental Responsibility: Sinopec’s impact on the sustainable and environment-friendly development (Word count: 1559 ) Corporate Environment Responsibility: Sinopec’s impact on the sustainable and environment-friendly development Nowadays, it is commonly recognized that human has destroyed natural environment with the human society and urbanization’s development. As the environment much more concerned by society and climate change influencing people’s daily life, Sinopec recognized that develop a sustainable and environment-friendly production could bring long-term benefits and satisfied society. As a worldwide energy†¦show more content†¦The positive performances of Sinopec On the other hand, Sinopec has contributed on develop sustainable and environment-friendly production. In 2011, Sinopec give signature responsibility contract of reducing pollution and no charge target with local government, and set up the 12th Five-Year Plan for the environmental protecting activity of Sinopec, which disposes main environment-related task in long-term developing. At the same time, Sinopec keep improve regulations of protecting environment and carried out EIA seriously. They also made great efforts in advertising green growth and resource efficiency. For instance, comparing industrial effluent discharge with last year, â€Å"this year decreased by 8.7%, on-spec rate of discharged waste water grew by 0.4%, and COD discharge went down by 16.9%. SO2, NOx and NHx emissions reduced by 9.8%, 3.4% and 34.9% respectively† (Green Operation 2011). What is different is that Sinopec improve the treatment of waste gas, waste water and industrial residue (Three wasters), try best to reach the standards and minimize the impact to the environment. Furthermore, Sinopec found process, equipment and invite expert groups to protect environment, define problems and resolve. There is a new program of expend recycle economy and turning waste to worth in order to consuming less energy and high efficiency. Also,

The Ethics Of Dual Relationships - 1043 Words

Dual Relationships The ethical delimma of â€Å"Dual Relationships.† Dual relationship occurs when the professional such a case manager is in two different relationships with a client; one related to their career and the other is unrelated to the profession. The second relationship could consist of parties having in an intimate connection (boyfriend / girlfriend), relatives (father, mother, cousin, etc.), a second job co-workers, Sunday school teacher, child’s football coach, personal trainer, lawn’s man, etc. â€Å"Engaging in dual relationships is risky business for social workers† (Jeffrey N. Younggren, n.d.). They are at risk of violating work Code of Ethics, which later may lead into lawsuits or client’s mistrust of the professional worker. After researching the Code of Ethics for social workers, it â€Å"stipulates that if a dual relationship is exploitative, during or after a professional relationship, it should be avoided† (Dewane, 2010). Many argues, dilemmas within â€Å"concurrent and consecutive relationships does not fit the context guidelines of the code of ethics† (Jeffrey N. Younggren, n.d.). When a professional is challenged as to whether he or she should enter into a dual relationship or not, many factors need to be considered and evaluated: will this relationship jeopardize the intrigue of the agency; will it compromise the needs of the client; will it cloud the judgement of the professional; or is the cost of personal fulfillment outweigh the commit to the profession. NowShow MoreRelatedCase Study on Ethics and Dual Relationships in Social Work Essay1050 Words   |  5 PagesEthics Case Study: Juan S. The social worker in this case study worked at the ABC Children’s Wellness Center. An ESL teacher at a local elementary school referred Juan S. to her. Juan came to the center with his mother, Silvia. 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