This is the third year we've attempted to help West Virginia adopt a modern, entrepreneurial approach to economic development by emphasizing the growth of our "new" economy based on innovation.
(NOTE: Apologies for the poor formatting on this post, our blog site is having some issues)
Many folks have been to a lot of conferences...and well, we aren't always eager to go to another one! Sitting in boring seminars, eating bad food, listening to panel speakers without much to say...who needs more of that?
Since its inception, Create WV has championed the growth of West Virginia's "creative class." The term "creative" and "class" often confuse people into thinking the initiative is either about a) narrow focus on the arts, or b) an elitist initiative that doesn't relate to ordinary West Virginians. So it's worth repeating the definition originating from researcher Richard Florida. This version is from Wikipedia:
We've often blogged about the role that colleges and universities play in sparking creative community growth. But there is another category of institution that unfortunately often gets overlooked in terms of its potential and actual impact on community health: churches and other bodies of faith.
Charleston, WV -- A statewide survey of what West Virginians think and do relating to their communities, technology, education, social diversity, and entrepreneurship provides a snapshot that contradicts many widely held assumptions about who the state’s citizens are and what they think.
West Virginians have been dealing with unfair stereotypes and image issues for decades. Some of us don't care what others think, some of us are a bit defensive. But regardless of stereotypes, what do West Virginians really think about topics such as diversity, technology and education? Are our state's low new economy rankings a result of backwards beliefs and unwillingness to embrace change?
People who have just heard of Create WV or are not familiar with terms such as "creative class" or "new economy" often ask for a review of these concepts. If that is your case, or have a friend or colleague who would like a review of the Create WV initiative, this presentation may be helpful. This particular version was delivered to a Create WV workshop audience in Greenbrier County in Fall 2008: