Creative cities in the U.S.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by residinghere2007

I agree with other posters about Detroit. I live in Toledo, OH which is only 45 minutes south of Detroit and I have family there.

It really is an exciting time and Detroit is experiencing a re-invention of itself contrary to what people see in the media.

That said, there is still quite a bit of crime in Detroit and you have to take that into consideration. But the metro area is large and vibrant and safe while allowing you access to all Detroit has to offer. The city itself also isn't like it is portrayed on TV. I visit my relatives often there and am pretty amazed at how great Detroit looks downtown especially and in specific neighborhoods. If I didn't have kids I would have moved to Detroit (I don't think they have good schools and even though Toledo's schools aren't the best in the country, they are better than Detroit).

I was also going to suggest Cleveland which is about 5-10 years ahead of Detroit right now. I was SHOCKED at how great Cleveland looked when I visited a few months ago. I hadn't been since the mid 1990s and it was a pretty crappy looking place back then.

All in all, I agree if you are looking for creativity and an exciting scene artistically, it is better to steer clear of the "hip" cities. I'm sure there are plenty of creative folks and excitement in those locales but those cities are super expensive for a new grad and living in a cheaper city will be better.

Another option for big city living though is Chicago, which is much cheaper than west cost urban areas and NYC. Chicago is probably my favorite "big city."

I lived in Atlanta, GA for over 15 years and recently moved back here to Ohio from there. Atlanta has some excitement as well in regards to the arts scene. But Atlanta to me just too spread out. It is more like a huge suburb versus a city but they are working on urbanity there and it is an exciting time to be in Atlanta, but IMO that excitement is more in regards to development/construction versus arts and journalism.

Thank you for suggesting Cleveland. It is experiencing a boom downtown now that's really remarkable and going through a Renaissance of sorts that is attracting more and more young people. The arts, sports and creativity of this city is taking off like wildfire. The problems are being worked on too in order to build a better city all around.

If the OP wants the cities some have suggested here to which people flocked ten years ago for their uniqueness, he might now find conventional overpriced "weirdness" but for new ideas, dynamics and creativity, I would take the suggestions of the lessor hyped cities much more seriously.

[cheese plate]

Originally Posted by KathrynAragon

I'll tell you another city that no one has mentioned yet that is FULL of creativity. It may surprise you - it's Fort Worth. Not Dallas. Fort Worth.

Fort Worth has a lot going for it - for starters it has a healthy economy and a pretty low cost of living. But it also has a lot of diversity (that always seems to encourage creativity). It has some charming neighborhoods. It has vibrant, interesting history. It is chock full of museums, art galleries, musical venues, etc.

It's also quirky and upbeat. Often overlooked - which is nice, actually.

You should check it out.

Well, I fully back Ft Worth being an underrated city, and I agree that it has great museums and I like it better than Dallas, but TX has this thing called Austin that is a creative suction device where just about any top creative from Denton (they have one of the best jazz schools in the world there), Dallas, and even Houston ends up at least close to the Austin area. I know so many people who tried to hold out, but Austin is just considered (rightly or wrongly) the creative beacon of the region, and it's much tougher slogging it out elsewhere in the state. I haven't seen a lot come out of Ft Worth to date, though it has the right bones for that to change. And side note: the 60s garage scene there is generally agreed-upon by collecters as being the best in the world in terms of batting average. Ft Worth bands dominate old 60s compilations, there are whole CD/record compilations dedicated to them (Ft Worth Teen Scene) and even a good documentary about it. So it has acted the part before.

Originally Posted by Minervah

If the OP wants the cities some have suggested here to which people flocked ten years ago for their uniqueness, he might now find conventional overpriced "weirdness" but for new ideas, dynamics and creativity, I would take the suggestions of the lessor hyped cities much more seriously.

Great summary, I fully believe this. Jumping on what the mainstream declares "hot" right now is putting yourself a decade behind what's really going on, generally. Some places are always creative hotspots, but the competition is deadly. Others aren't really that creative at all by this point, as rents push out creatives and trust fund zombies take their places. Better to find a place on the cheap with a strong, currently-ignored local scene that appeals to you.

[cheese plate]

Survey Confirms: Market Forces Pushing Artists Out of San Francisco | KQED Arts

[pwduvall]

Originally Posted by TheseGoTo11

I think it's overrated. Detroit is like the Upper West Side compared to that place. Maybe when they bulldoze the miles of abandoned buildings Baltimore will get up to Detroit standards.

Anther tiresome DC snob... They never miss an opportunity to refute even the slightest not-so-negative thing said about Baltimore. What Detroit standards is he talking about? If you look at vacancy, Detroit's vacancy is at least double Baltimore's. Is there some other standard that TheseGoTo11 is talking about?

[floridanative10]

Originally Posted by cheese plate

Survey Confirms: Market Forces Pushing Artists Out of San Francisco | KQED Arts

I definitely think this article is right on, I know a few friends moving to Oakland because of rents. Oakland has some very up and coming areas now

[Northernest Southernest C]

Originally Posted by pwduvall

Anther tiresome DC snob... They never miss an opportunity to refute even the slightest not-so-negative thing said about Baltimore. What Detroit standards is he talking about? If you look at vacancy, Detroit's vacancy is at least double Baltimore's. Is there some other standard that TheseGoTo11 is talking about?

Yeah I don't get it at all. Must be a habit of theirs. Aside from hosting Artscape the largest free arts festival in the country the city has 3 arts and entertainment districts and a vibrant underground arts scene. Artist have been turning once vacant building and warehouses/factories into studio space like the 15 stories of the bromo seltzer tower downtown. The earliest of the districts has been designated since 2002.
Pictures: Baltimore's underground art scene - Baltimore Sun

In Baltimore, artists' community is the real work of art

[cheese plate]

Originally Posted by newbern100

I definitely think this article is right on, I know a few friends moving to Oakland because of rents. Oakland has some very up and coming areas now

Agreed, Oakland is big-time right now for artists and musicians. Just like folks had to move from Manhattan to Brooklyn to Queens. By the time a place is "hip," it's flooded with clueless trust funders and young creative types are priced out of the area.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by cheese plate

Agreed, Oakland is big-time right now for artists and musicians. Just like folks had to move from Manhattan to Brooklyn to Queens. By the time a place is "hip," it's flooded with clueless trust funders and young creative types are priced out of the area.

That's because uncool people move to cool places to become cool which eventually makes the cool places uncool.