Detroit to Host Creative Cities Summit

by Jaime Pfeffer

February 15th, 2008 in Careers, Creative, Detroit, News

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This fall, Detroit will host the second International Creative Cities summit. Dubbed Creative Cities Summit 2.0, the special event will provide a next-generation look at how communities are integrating innovation, social entrepreneurship, arts and culture and business to make vibrant economies. The Michigan State Housing Development Authority’s (MSHDA) Cool Cities Team is a key organizer of the event.

“Michigan’s greatest economic successes have always been tied to the creative and productive power of our cities,” Governor Jennifer Granholm said. “We are looking forward to hosting leading thinkers and practitioners from around the world to discuss the latest in creative community development.”

Topics will include place making, talent attraction, retention strategies and best practices for economic and social development.

“We are thrilled to bring this event to Michigan, in particular to Detroit, where these ideas are already underway,” said Peter Kageyama of Creative Cities Productions, the producers of the event. “We saw this as an opportunity to use the metaphor of Detroit as the epitome of the American industrial city that is creatively remaking itself in the 21st century.”

The initial Creative Cities Summit held in St. Petersburg, Florida in 2004, was one of the first creative economy events in the United States.

“We want to showcase Michigan, not only to the world, but to ourselves,” said Karen Gagnon, MSHDA’s Cool Cities team leader.

An exact location for the event has not yet been released.

One of Detroit's biggest cheerleaders, Jaime Pfeffer moved to the Motor City from suburban Detroit five years ago. She started a blog, Girl in the D, in September 2004 to promote the positive aspects of Detroit and hasn't stopped touting Motown's good side since. Jaime left corporate America in 2007 to pursue her first love, writing.