Melbourne creativity study
The key question answered by the Melbourne Creativity study is how does Melbourne compare to Sydney and key cities in the USA in terms of its capacity to attract creative and diverse populations to drive its economy?
The idea that Australia has only one city of a ‘global city’ capacity is challenged by this report. Analysis undertaken by NIEIR uses methodology designed by Richard Florida, one of the USA’s leading economists. Richard Florida’s theory of the ‘creative class’ postulates that economic growth is determined by the location choices of the holders of creative capital. Based on a number of unique indicators presented in his book, ‘The Rise of the Creative Class’, NIEIR’s analysis shows that Melbourne compares favorably with other cities both in Australia and the US. In the NIEIR study cities are compared using creativity, diversity, melting pot, high-tech, talent and innovation indices.
As part of the methodology for this analysis Melbourne was divided into three distinct regions, Melbourne Central, Melbourne Inner and Melbourne Outer. The same structural methodology was used for Sydney enabling comparisons between Melbourne and Sydney across the study indices. To better understand Melbourne’s global positioning, comparisons were also made to leading American cities.
Benefit to client
The client Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development, Victorian Government was keen to promote Melbourne as a city with high levels of creativity and knowledge economy skills to attract both knowledge based industries and ‘creative class workers’. The NIEIR report confirmed that Melbourne was indeed a creative global city allowing the client to promote this idea, but do so with greater authority and knowledge about its case.
