tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45819894372436086072024-03-13T11:08:50.824-07:00CreativeRuralIn search and celebration of creative and innovative rural communities, ideas and stories.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269481844984010110noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581989437243608607.post-51624913106034898792016-11-19T08:43:00.002-08:002016-11-19T08:52:32.981-08:00FREEING UP RURAL COMMUNITIES ON WHEELS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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By the year 2030, <a href="http://www.mckinsey.com/industries/high-tech/our-insights/disruptive-trends-that-will-transform-the-auto-industry">it is forecast</a>, fewer of us will be driving cars. On some roads human-driving will be prohibited. We will dial up a car. It will arrive at our front door and it will transport us to our chosen destination. The "smart car" will do the driving. Sound fantastic? Some self-driving cars are already being tested on our roads. Autonomous, self-driving vehicles are just a few years away from mass production.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9SRI8MGoyqzWCUYwqVzQxeG1p591EpnqJkfYJwYueLVGchgGsKgy-hOZxXiuzO9zm4cVTj0WnH0yeH3NAhyphenhyphen0rB5-vEPJRBW0awG_Qsf0Rf3TVckTKUzniVmknNzoLubsUTbQH3-QWOKU/s1600/carCreativeRuralBlog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9SRI8MGoyqzWCUYwqVzQxeG1p591EpnqJkfYJwYueLVGchgGsKgy-hOZxXiuzO9zm4cVTj0WnH0yeH3NAhyphenhyphen0rB5-vEPJRBW0awG_Qsf0Rf3TVckTKUzniVmknNzoLubsUTbQH3-QWOKU/s400/carCreativeRuralBlog.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<b><a href="http://www.uber.com/">Uber</a></b> already transports people in self-driving vehicles in <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/uber-pittsburgh-autonomous-cars-1.3726370">trials in Pittsburgh</a> PA. Since <b><a href="http://phys.org/news/2016-06-walmart-partner-uber-lyft-delivery.html?utm_source=nwletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-nwletter">Walmart</a></b> is working with Uber and <b><a href="http://www.lyft.com/">Lyft</a></b> to deliver it makes sense that Walmart closely eyes the self-driving vehicle business -- as would Walmart's greatest competitor <a href="http://business.financialpost.com/fp-tech-desk/amazon-com-inc-microsoft-corp-in-talks-to-invest-in-self-driving-mapping-technology"><b>Amazon</b></a>.com. San Francisco-based <b><a href="http://www.ottomotors.com/">Otto</a></b> <a href="https://www.wired.com/2016/10/ubers-self-driving-truck-makes-first-delivery-50000-beers/">delivered 50,000 beers</a> almost 200 km in Colorado, about a month ago. In <b><a href="http://www.theverge.com/2016/9/22/13019688/singapore-self-driving-car-nutonomy-grab-ride-hail-test">Singapore</a></b> you can catch a ride in a self-driving taxi using your smartphone. <a href="http://www.canadianbusiness.com/innovation/how-autonomous-cars-will-impact-cities-businesses/">Canadian Business</a> reports that every business will be affected by self-driving cars.<br />
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What will autonomous vehicles mean for creative rural communities?<br />
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The <b><a href="http://www.vtpi.org/index.php">Victoria Transport Policy Institute</a></b> in Victoria, British Columbia, <a href="http://www.vtpi.org/avip.pdf">reports</a> that conventional public transit will change. Self-driving vehicles will provide mobility for non-drivers [and isolated citizens]. The report also states that job losses could occur by requiring fewer drivers and lowering/eliminating vehicle maintenance and repairs. The reports also outlines risks. VTPI predicts autonomous vehicles "will have little effect in exurban and rural areas, though they do point out the benefits of car-sharing.<br />
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I sense that rural citizens will have increased access to medical, education, social and food services, support, supply and facilities. Isolation will be lessened. In some cases citizens will never need to learn to drive. The world will come to our doorsteps. How liberating would THAT be?<br />
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[Question ... if an autonomous vehicle is pulled over for a traffic violation/issue, and there is no driver, to whom will the police officer issue the ticket? ... and will "road rage" disappear?]</div>
Edward Wedlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17790933303758373577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581989437243608607.post-68069990704271553942014-07-07T03:30:00.000-07:002014-07-07T03:30:00.936-07:00CULTURAL CROSS-COLLABORATION: FOOD, MUSIC, FILM, MUSEUMS, POETRY, PAINTING<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The <a href="http://creativerural.blogspot.ca/2013/01/the-role-of-food-in-creative-economy.html" target="_blank">role of food in the creative economy</a> has been posted a number of times in this blog. Over the past year I have been observing the creative food events from Scandinavian countries and have enjoyed observing the mix between food and other creative sectors.</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwWF2GY4Eu4" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVAOZUCH97dtgWqq4y8mtQhyo4nAeVUyur3nLlv6MCOjr0Jfj_W1xQe6q4Uq-drvLmAXCQ_56szRh7194zBQmS3uAOOyz0_g4VahxFliJuj1HkpmmDjm5qAop6LwrI9UxrZ0ohyphenhyphenuogQ9z0/s1600/nordicSoundBite_2.jpg" height="260" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Nordic Food introduced "</span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/NordicSoundBite" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">The Nordic Sound Bite</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">" at the </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwWF2GY4Eu4" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Ja Ja Ja Festival</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> in London, UK, November 2013 -- a two day celebration of Nordic music, film and food.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Nordic Sound Bite is a mix of music and food; a collaboration between <a href="http://nynordiskmad.org/aktuellt/nyheter/visning/artikel/nordic-sound-bites-emerge-in-copenhagen-1/?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=1" target="_blank">food artists</a> and musicians. Food artists designed, prepared and delivered special "sound-bites" representing "20 seconds of the DNA sound" from five of the music bands playing at the Ja Ja Ja festival (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5lKwZ94m0M" target="_blank">Mew</a>, <a href="http://youtu.be/3j4I0PqNzKE" target="_blank">NONONO</a>, <a href="http://youtu.be/COo-wlUed2c" target="_blank">Sin Fang</a>, <a href="http://youtu.be/1rGSpw5c9-c" target="_blank">Sakaris</a> and <a href="http://youtu.be/3KR4tMAEJCU" target="_blank">Astra Kid</a>)</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. The "Morning Sound Bite", for example, were Nordic sweets stuck to a balloon. Organizers see a future in providing sound bites at events either as a warm up or as an extra level of consciousness when you listen to the music.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In 2012 the </span><a href="http://newnordicfood.org/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">New Nordic Food II</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Scandinavian programme started an </span><a href="http://nynordiskmad.blogspot.ca/2014/06/vad-har-mat-maltider-med-museer-att-gora.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+NyNordiskMad+(Ny+Nordisk+Mad)" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">unlikely project</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> to mix food and museums. Anyone </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">for Swedish meatballs with a cream sauce and lingonberries, and "Nobel" ice cream, served at the Nobel Museum's <a href="http://www.nobelmuseum.se/en/bistro-nobel" target="_blank">Bistro Nobel</a> (locally produced, organic and "fairtrade" food)?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN0CigybdMtHtkpEyLfsWeuY8lYktHAEbEqSsnObBd6StrvU3Ryj5JRUdQvW85lC3OtTfJqPafa_Jh86ImKoE0mmJFB1XNYuS78cFLb7eELbSDLiHgIVMJE1N6K6WWqrBoPJJO-mcmAGai/s1600/skafteShishkov.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN0CigybdMtHtkpEyLfsWeuY8lYktHAEbEqSsnObBd6StrvU3Ryj5JRUdQvW85lC3OtTfJqPafa_Jh86ImKoE0mmJFB1XNYuS78cFLb7eELbSDLiHgIVMJE1N6K6WWqrBoPJJO-mcmAGai/s1600/skafteShishkov.jpg" height="394" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What these Nordic experiments can teach us is that <b>new</b> forms of cultural expression and identity can emerge when we combine <b>unlikely partners</b>. We have something special to express about our corner of the world. We need to discover, celebrate and support other forms of local, cultural cross-collaboration -- such as between <a href="http://facebook.com/SkafteShishkov/" target="_blank">poet Steve Skafte and painter Wally Shishkov</a> of the </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269481844984010110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581989437243608607.post-20419147374014642552014-06-30T02:00:00.000-07:002014-06-30T02:00:03.182-07:00RURAL ECONOMIES CAN GROW BY POOLING TALENT AND RESOURCES<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Will provincial Regional Economic Networks (RENs) work insularly, or think courageously and invite other areas of the province (and other RENs) to work together in their economic turnarounds? My experience tells me that's where our achilles heel might lie. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Among the <a href="http://www.novascotia.ca/econ/ren/Benefits%20of%20RENs.pdf">benefits</a> REN claims, one is to <i>"pool resources and combine talents to increase effectiveness, strengthen potential and improve outcomes"</i>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-nflRg6drdX4OAo6WqUuzDYwHnaTruN6kI3qdW8KX-D3v9tKtO13kTTftFkXPaxLujsQIgqweN2_6tDzMaQl3f4YtYQcbNDQ4JCOcZF-9oJVjIWYvhstxpsCozmq2_EjcQBmZZOh5NJ2c/s1600/USA_SET_3.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-nflRg6drdX4OAo6WqUuzDYwHnaTruN6kI3qdW8KX-D3v9tKtO13kTTftFkXPaxLujsQIgqweN2_6tDzMaQl3f4YtYQcbNDQ4JCOcZF-9oJVjIWYvhstxpsCozmq2_EjcQBmZZOh5NJ2c/s1600/USA_SET_3.gif" height="380" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Maybe rural counties need to think regionally to prosper, reports Josie Musico, in the case of rural west Texas that has seen a population decline over the past decades, and an out-migration of youth -- what I call next generation talent.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Unites States Department of Agriculture's "</span><a href="http://youtu.be/Wyz4RjucyfA" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stronger Economies Together</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">" (SET) program was set up to build rural economies. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">SET encourages people to think as regions rather than focusing on individual communities. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Their website reads, </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"The purpose of SET is to strengthen the capacity of communities/counties in rural America to work together in developing and implementing an economic development blueprint that strategically builds on the current and emerging economic strengths of their region."</i><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let's hope Regional Economic Networks being set up in Nova Scotia helps rural economic development. The </span><a href="http://onens.ca/wp-content/uploads/Now_or_never_short.pdf" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Ivany Report</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> issues an economic and demographic clarion call to action, "most dramatically in our rural regions". REN has its work cut out for itself.</span></div>
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Edward Wedlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17790933303758373577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581989437243608607.post-31769839653569046272014-06-23T01:46:00.000-07:002019-03-27T13:35:03.923-07:00"WHEN YOU HAVE TO EAT WHAT YOU KILL, YOU LEARN EXTREMELY FAST"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWntfThJ-XkzkrVWWZn9R5lTTGNLxQJXdzqI5wVxWnOsIDZRvH4hxxQmyN8_Fzt6BCtm_gYL51seyxn6LeaWksXB2UxWHMP8DPC0g9KIF2snCjmSIFYAmTty-oNwfNMzmxPExw6l2ATzc/s1600/40alternativeLearningPaths.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWntfThJ-XkzkrVWWZn9R5lTTGNLxQJXdzqI5wVxWnOsIDZRvH4hxxQmyN8_Fzt6BCtm_gYL51seyxn6LeaWksXB2UxWHMP8DPC0g9KIF2snCjmSIFYAmTty-oNwfNMzmxPExw6l2ATzc/s1600/40alternativeLearningPaths.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Can you imagine what would happen to our Nova Scotia economy if just 1% of all Nova Scotians started their own business next year? Wouldn't <u>that</u> blow economic hardship out of the water and lend an <a href="http://onens.ca/wp-content/uploads/Now_or_never_short.pdf">Ivany-Report</a>-kick-in-the-pants kickstart to our quality of place! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I came across <a href="http://www.jamesaltucher.com/about/">James Altucher</a>'s inspirational slide show on "<a href="http://www.slideshare.net/JamesAltucher/james-altucher-40-alternatives-to-college?utm_source=slideshow&utm_medium=ssemail&utm_campaign=weekly_digest">40 alternatives to college</a>" that epitomizes the spirit of the entrepreneurial mindset -- a mindset that can change the way we work, live and play -- a <a href="http://thegeorgetownconference.ca/">Georgetown Conference</a> mindset. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Altucher's first alternative to formal education is to "Start a Business". He tells us "whereas previously we've created generations of innovators and creators, now we are creating a generation of young people mired down in hopeless debt". Pretty incendiary stuff, but he does drive the point home. Jump in at the deep end and learn to swim.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So how do we innovate in a rural environment? Beyond Altucher's and Georgetown's mindset we can get ideas from <a href="http://www.mytopbusinessideas.com/rural-small-towns/">'Small Business Ideas for Rural Towns'</a> and the <a href="http://www.canadianentrepreneurship.ca/100-brilliant-ideas">Canadian Institute for Rural Entrepreneurship</a>. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We can learn from many real-life examples, such as <a href="http://creativerural.blogspot.ca/2012/08/leaders-who-make-difference-in-creative.html">Chemainus</a>, British Columbia; <a href="http://creativerural.blogspot.ca/2012/08/leaders-who-make-difference-in-creative.html">Rosebud</a>, Alberta; </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.buildanewlife.ca/site/" target="_blank">Prince Edward County</a>, Ontario; <a href="http://siteselection.com/issues/2012/sep/rural-advantage.cfm?s=mp" target="_blank">Fulton</a>, Kentucky, and <a href="http://benhewitt.net/about/excerpt-from-the-town-that-food-saved/" target="_blank">Hardwick</a>, Vermont. As <a href="http://thechronicleherald.ca/opinion/1212903-lethbridge-more-urgency-less-insularity">Gail Lethbridge pos</a></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://thechronicleherald.ca/opinion/1212903-lethbridge-more-urgency-less-insularity">ted</a> in Halifax' Chronicle Herald "Avoid insularity. It’s OK to look beyond our own borders and be inspired by the way they do things elsewhere. It’s OK to check out Estonia’s story or Wisconsin’s."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Industry Canada reports (<a href="http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/061.nsf/eng/h_02133.html" target="_blank">2004</a>) that almost 1/3 of all small- and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are based in rural areas, with the greatest percentage in the Prairies. Interestingly, 2/3 of these businesses are in <u>non-agricultural</u> and <u>non-primary</u> industries (such as mining, fishing, forestry). Rural SMEs tend to be self-employed and smaller than urban SMEs. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So, how do you build an entrepreneurial culture? Having studied hundreds of rural landscapes, interviewing thousands of entrepreneurs, and investigating dozens of rural development strategies, Don Macke and Deborah Markley (<a href="http://www.iira.org/pubs/publications/iira_rrr_666.pdf" target="_blank">2006</a>) conclude that the key lies with proactive, civic </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(NGOs, government, community, .. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">) leaders who create an entrepreneurial environment. Invest in your local residents. Build support systems.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Becky McCray, author of "<a href="http://smallbizsurvival.com/" target="_blank">Small Biz Survival</a>", tells us in "<a href="http://smallbizsurvival.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/BizIdeaBooklet.pdf" target="_blank">20 Small Business Ideas for Small Towns</a>": be uniquely local; use what you know; look at existing businesses; use someone else's research; and, search idea sites and feeds. McCray <a href="http://smallbusiness.com/news/trends/rural-small-business-trends-2014/" target="_blank">lists</a> nine small town and rural business trends for 2014, including growing Stage 2 businesses (10-50 employees).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This Blog is about being creative in a rural environment, and that involves "doing", and "just saying yes". </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Rural economic development starts with pulling up your sleeves, being courageous and visionary, working together, and maybe even starting your own business. </span><br />
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Edward Wedlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17790933303758373577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581989437243608607.post-20085553526609732032014-06-19T03:30:00.000-07:002014-06-19T03:30:00.120-07:00WHALE WATCHING TRAINING WORKSHOP: A LESSON IN CITIZEN SCIENCE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdEY5JfPFuiXViXTe7CRs8SiYWQb4hCDqXNEGrkhJGq84lijI3pfAcxPaCmsJO-C7Ja9kyK7NjvJqXt5ZyRLfdEvsVrwGA_pqyDkplkYELkYzfLUEj7FrPOU1rcK-flJyYo-icS9l6VkCz/s1600/fundyTidal_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdEY5JfPFuiXViXTe7CRs8SiYWQb4hCDqXNEGrkhJGq84lijI3pfAcxPaCmsJO-C7Ja9kyK7NjvJqXt5ZyRLfdEvsVrwGA_pqyDkplkYELkYzfLUEj7FrPOU1rcK-flJyYo-icS9l6VkCz/s1600/fundyTidal_2.jpg" height="196" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />I attended the second half of a Whale Watching Training <a href="http://www.digbycourier.ca/Business/2014-06-02/article-3746674/Digby-tidal-energy-company-working-on-apps%2C-training-observers-to-track-whales/1?newsletterid=214&date=2014-06-02-09" target="_blank">workshop</a> held 16-17Jun2014 in Freeport, Digby County, Nova Scotia, Canada, organized by <a href="http://www.fundytidal.com/" target="_blank">Fundy Tidal Inc.</a><br /><br />My personal interest focused on the use of mobile Apps to monitor marine mammals and other species. The geographic area of interest was Digby Neck. Two specific tools were demonstrated: <a href="http://conserve.io/spotter-pro-faq/" target="_blank">Spotter Pro</a> and <a href="http://stellwagen.noaa.gov/protect/whalealert.html" target="_blank">Whale Alert</a>. <br /><br /><br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m8!1m3!1d730088.4047433647!2d-65.6471883!3d44.3734829!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x4ca83ac4d0b5dd8d%3A0xef5fb11bd641755d!2sDigby+Neck!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sca!4v1403134774108" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe>
Google Map Link: <a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Digby+Neck/@44.3734829,-65.6471883,9z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x4ca83ac4d0b5dd8d:0xef5fb11bd641755d" target="_blank">Digby Neck and area, Nova Scotia</a><br /><br />Why is this type of workshop important ?<br /><br />In a rural environment, this encourages ‘citizen science’. With this technology, participants can share their experience with a global audience. Local observations on components of the environment that they value (i.e. marine mammals, sea birds, sharks, sea turtles) can be linked to a global understanding of the state of the oceans.<br /><br />This workshop was based on collaboration between marine scientists, tidal energy engineers, tourism operators and local residents.<br /><br />What is the larger opportunity ?<br /><br />The opportunity is to transcend disciplinary boundaries and encourage a science-based approach to resource management. It fits under the ‘creative rural’ rubric, by bringing local knowledge together with global technology. It is designed to meet multiple objectives: marine science, experiential tourism and environmental monitoring. Most important, it demonstrates a collaborative approach to environmental problem solving.<br /><br /><br />SPECIAL NOTE<br /><br />Before making too many entries under the ‘creative rural’ heading, it is perhaps appropriate to define a few terms.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What is the distinction between ‘rural’ and ‘urban’ ?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By ‘rural’, I mean a sense of space, proximity to natural processes, as they influence humankind, plants, animals, climate. I expect a visibility of landscape: I can see across the Annapolis valley to South Mountain. I have a certain understanding about the density of activities, in terms of human processes, the partitioning of space.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The term is not being used negatively towards ‘urban’, simply emphasizing the distinction.<br /><br />How does this relate to ‘creative rural ‘?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are opportunities for contemplation, an ability to be holistic, to not separate the physical and the mental. ‘Creative’ here means new ideas (new thinking), new technologies and new applications of technology to address complex problems in a non-reductionistic way. We are not separating out business interest from environmental interest. We are not separating local from global. We recognize a nested hierarchy of scale: community (local) – county – region – province – country – Earth (global).<br /><br />-- <i>Dr Bob Maher, research scientist</i></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269481844984010110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581989437243608607.post-63220643308858659722014-06-16T01:16:00.000-07:002014-06-16T01:16:24.605-07:00WHAT DO THE FILMS "OUTLANDER", "TITANIC" AND "DEV-CON 4" HAVE IN COMMON?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Films_shot_in_Nova_Scotia" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>, <b><i>Outlander</i></b>, <b><i>Titanic</i></b> and <b><i>Dev-Con 4</i></b> are among eighty-two big screen films with shots on location in Nova Scotia. Who knew? We have geography that appeals to the film industry. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The film industry in Nova Scotia can play a significant role in kickstarting a revitalized Nova Scotia rural economy. I see two thrusts. First, rural areas can find and promote film shoot locations, to attract location scouts and film crews from around the world. Second, rural areas can develop tourism products based on film.<br /><br />FILM SHOOT LOCATIONS<br /><br />Location Managers and Scouts find locations that set the stage for film, television, commercials, music videos and advertising. They work with the directors and producers. To promote rural film-shoot locations and attract film crews and investors, you need to do more than simply re-paint your white picket fences and hope that passers-by take notice. You need to be proactive. Film shoots require support -- people, facilities, utilities and resources. One needs to easily locate and secure this support. Also, considerable energy is required to research and catalogue each potential location. </span><br />
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<a href="http://moviemaps.org/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">MovieMaps.org</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> is a global directory and Google map of movie and TV show filming locations. On this site you lookup where your favorite TV show was shot or discover movies that were filmed near you.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj851UfE2nQ-_B2o1EDZv7SappEN0ZOJK5-duDrtEvYFJRURPlUA1R5xAB62nxbQ7Qzb2WB-GV8bzv6B67nKFrB8MBZV6yyQ33xQLEdA81cYgo8VBw9zsKBMTjWUkr8Q7WG6mQn0wK8618p/s1600/movieMap.org.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj851UfE2nQ-_B2o1EDZv7SappEN0ZOJK5-duDrtEvYFJRURPlUA1R5xAB62nxbQ7Qzb2WB-GV8bzv6B67nKFrB8MBZV6yyQ33xQLEdA81cYgo8VBw9zsKBMTjWUkr8Q7WG6mQn0wK8618p/s1600/movieMap.org.jpg" height="302" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://visitbath.co.uk/film" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Visitbath.co.uk/film</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> shows </span><a href="http://visitbath.co.uk/xsdbimgs/Bath%20Movie%20Map%20A4.pdf" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">backdrop locations</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> for film makers interested in areas in and around Bath.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While the above examples point in the right direction, they are sparse. My research shows that there exists untapped potential in creating valuable online and interactive </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">film-shoot location</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">maps and databases.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">FILM-INDUCED TOURISM</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Film-tourism works. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Claudio-Elena Tuclea and Puiu Nistoreanu (</span><a href="http://www.academia.edu/1471593/How_film_and_television_programs_can_promote_tourism_and_increase_the_competitiveness_of_tourist_destinations" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">2011</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">) relate the impact of film to film-induced tourism and recommend ways to maximize this relationship for economic and cultural development.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have previously posted related items in this and other blogs (</span><a href="http://creativerural.blogspot.ca/2012/09/creatives-who-use-stories-to-build.html" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Storytelling</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">; </span><a href="http://theruraltourist.blogspot.ca/2010/05/tell-rural-tourist-about-war-of-1812.html" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">War of 1812</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">) . How many people have visited the graves of those who perished with the sinking of the Titanic then toured Halifax? Who has browsed the shoot location and the Nova Scotia town of Shelburne where the 1994 film </span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>The Scarlet Letter</i></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> was created? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We can learn something from the Welsh Tourism </span><a href="http://www.moviemapnorthwales.co.uk/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Movie Map in North Wales</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> and consider creating something similar here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-o_TLNIAKPex81hq9Cdn4xIp8UFfdfoQvu0ozlQ3mrQWl0ZdM6F2j4l9YLvxCvMZTmq6rewKERmbTx4T8rRIJUnHLdZqSl58eKNdiPgki2yojUHS6-kElwQVGMzba8L0sOMpI58lf5GtN/s1600/movieMapNorthWales.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-o_TLNIAKPex81hq9Cdn4xIp8UFfdfoQvu0ozlQ3mrQWl0ZdM6F2j4l9YLvxCvMZTmq6rewKERmbTx4T8rRIJUnHLdZqSl58eKNdiPgki2yojUHS6-kElwQVGMzba8L0sOMpI58lf5GtN/s640/movieMapNorthWales.jpg" height="411" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />This map gives you a sample of the variety of films and television programs shot in North Wales, and will tempt you to come and visit the location settings for yourself such as: <b><i>Casanova</i></b> (BBC 2005); <b><i>Backbeat</i></b> (Beatles 1994); <b><i>From Russia With Love</i></b> (1963); <b><i>Chronicles of Narnia</i></b> (2008); <b><i>Clash of the Titans</i></b> (2010).</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br /><a href="http://www.hemispheresmagazine.com/2012/09/01/globetrotting-2/">Hemispheresmagazine.com</a> predicted in 2012 that the American remake of <b>The <i>Girl with the Dragon Tattoo</i></b> would boost tourism in Stockholm, Sweden, by 3 to 4 percent, translating into hundreds of millions of euros. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the 2006 article "Promoting Destination via Film Tourism", Hudson and Ritchie (Journal of Travel Research, 44,387-396) note that the film </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Field of Dreams</b></i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> increased tourism numbers in Iowa, USA, by 35,000 visits in 1991.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br />New Zealand is now affectionately known as "<a href="http://www.newzealand.com/ca/home-of-middle-earth/" target="_blank">Home of Middle-Earth</a>" after the wildly popular film <i><b>The Lord of the Rings</b></i> helped boost visitor counts by 40% between 2000-2006, according to Hemisphere Magazine.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIqDuWqkml0RHrwc7cmPnYhIN_ch9L6JILWUn-n159xDOhxorAgq8oMWC6Rok_Uj17cmbjWUdnW2KW1cuq1Fhyphenhyphen7sidkpt3nr9blkE00vNglxiNFZPW_2pJ7yqE5LwkLCmGVFd6yiWF9haC/s1600/homeOfMiddleEarthNZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIqDuWqkml0RHrwc7cmPnYhIN_ch9L6JILWUn-n159xDOhxorAgq8oMWC6Rok_Uj17cmbjWUdnW2KW1cuq1Fhyphenhyphen7sidkpt3nr9blkE00vNglxiNFZPW_2pJ7yqE5LwkLCmGVFd6yiWF9haC/s640/homeOfMiddleEarthNZ.jpg" height="212" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://issuu.com/wharncliffe/docs/tourism_society_journal_autumn_2010" target="_blank">Tourism Magazine (2010)</a> states that 3-6% of visitors to the UK visit film locations during their stay. <a href="http://travel.cnn.com/lights-camera-country-power-and-glamour-film-tourism-735306" target="_blank">CNN Travel</a> reports that India's Ministry of Tourism has built "an entire <i><b>Land of Pi</b></i>" tourism campaign. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In a study in Italy, New Zealand and Sweden, Sue Beeton, CNN Travel author and professor at LaTrobe University, Australia, found people often change travel plans in an area when they are aware of activities related to film. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Beeton points out that, however, "there is a lack of integration between most tourism commissions and film commissions". In an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/TOJnQu-vSzg%26hl=en_US%26fs=1%26" target="_blank">interview</a> between Switzerland's Anthony Lack and Dr Peter Bolan (University of Ulster, Ireland) Bolan endorses a need for greater collaboration between tourism and film officials. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">CONCLUSION</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A well presented geography, people and resources (in map form on a website, for example) can attract film-location scouts, film production crews and investors from around the world. Successful <a href="http://www.film-tourism.com/" target="_blank">film tourism</a> can boost destination tourism and visitor numbers. This, however, calls for collaboration between film and tourism stakeholders and visionary leaders with some influence. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The right players need to play together in the same sandbox.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />With developments in new media and communication technology this task should be made easier today. </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269481844984010110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581989437243608607.post-50648998392929035642014-06-12T06:12:00.001-07:002014-06-12T06:12:31.746-07:00SUMMARY OF CREATIVERURAL BLOG PAGEVIEWS TO DATE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig5pFPpxibuQhsfoubTxx5XDgspTI69WL-Ox9EDQE5E_RBH5oDAuvBQJZ3-NR4flhmjriI6XRVg4SIUWpDLK2ufrRWGvaQG6nFJ3oDVPN6e3a0UqJBTDc-rNDI0aSAsOx3Y82IZggilR9S/s1600/pageViewsByCountry_12Jun14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig5pFPpxibuQhsfoubTxx5XDgspTI69WL-Ox9EDQE5E_RBH5oDAuvBQJZ3-NR4flhmjriI6XRVg4SIUWpDLK2ufrRWGvaQG6nFJ3oDVPN6e3a0UqJBTDc-rNDI0aSAsOx3Y82IZggilR9S/s1600/pageViewsByCountry_12Jun14.jpg" height="396" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you for your interest in this blog, where we search for and celebrate creative and innovative rural communities, ideas and stories. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269481844984010110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581989437243608607.post-22716930445051080592014-06-07T07:26:00.000-07:002014-06-07T07:26:41.124-07:00SENSR FOR EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Experiential learning helps us get down and dirty and understand the world about us. It is a great way to learn by doing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A sheet of paper recently came across my desk titled "<a href="http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyclopedia/citizen-science/?ar_a=1">Citizen Science</a> Projects in Nova Scotia". The paper presents links to citizen sighting projects, volunteer projects and phone App projects; such as <a href="http://www.batconservation.ca/">Bat Conservation</a>, <a href="http://www.accdc.com/butterflyatlas/about.html">The Butterfly Atlas</a>, and <a href="http://www.merseytobeatic.ca/projects-freshwater-icewatch.php">Ice Watch</a>. These are projects in which we can improve our understanding of the environment, engage in meaningful research, and learn about how to observe and measure the world around us. And, we are not expected to hold postgraduate degrees to get involved. We simply show a willingness and passion to volunteer, get out there and help.<br /></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjFuQJbrg-QwIQ44oJk987H_GHY1zwEd73tt0BZeVAwMzsmikWOkbA2ijN9DmBY4yUOesXGPL64O5G9D-5UpV_0kZMkatqpbWd1gn1JgGs0AAf0Fr6nBlPbbCxwr_oWxlVKoDtk5yoS0Y/s1600/SENSR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjFuQJbrg-QwIQ44oJk987H_GHY1zwEd73tt0BZeVAwMzsmikWOkbA2ijN9DmBY4yUOesXGPL64O5G9D-5UpV_0kZMkatqpbWd1gn1JgGs0AAf0Fr6nBlPbbCxwr_oWxlVKoDtk5yoS0Y/s1600/SENSR.jpg" height="185" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Drilling down one of the links on this paper I came across a Carnegie Mellon University Research field data collection tool called </span><a href="http://www.sensr.org/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">SENSR</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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<b><i>"SENSR is a tool to create, share and manage a citizen science project running on mobile devices to harness the power of citizen scientists."</i></b><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You need, simply, a download of the iPhone SENSR App, an idea for a project, and citizens to join in the data collection. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No programming skills are needed to build the data collection tool and share data.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />What a great way to develop experiential learning!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Existing SENSR projects include categories such as archaeology, climate and weather, food, ocean and water, ecology and environment, and health and medicine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I can picture a project in Nova Scotia, along the lines of the <a href="http://www.outdoors.org/conservation/mountainwatch/mtplant.cfm">Appalachian Mountain Club Flower Watch Project</a>, in which SENSR observers can photograph and map plant species to observe microclimates and follow long-term trends due to climate change, or a coastal project to photograph and map coastal debris.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">An alternative learning path to formal education is through experiential learning. Maybe we should look more closely at organizations such as <a href="http://citizenscienceassociation.org/">Citizen Science Association</a>, <a href="http://www.citizensciencealliance.org/">Citizen Science Alliance</a>, and <a href="http://www.annapolisriver.ca/">CARP</a>, and field tools such as SENSR, to get our communities reconnected to our rural environment.</span></div>
Edward Wedlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17790933303758373577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581989437243608607.post-40851278642589532802013-10-21T03:30:00.000-07:002013-10-21T03:30:00.337-07:00ARE WE MAPPING OPPORTUNITIES?<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you were looking for a place to live, you most likely would want a place where you are most likely to succeed. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But where are these places? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How do you map personal and community "likelihood of success"? Where are the opportunities? Would an "opportunities map" like that in Austin, Texas, affect your decision where to locate in that community?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx-LLNunCJLZxO67HmuLYKoJ9r5DouVrMKlt4l49uNIDzqbfQ2laVWyqrlX2-vQa0c_Q0APz36_SnNwtz6_Q8cXqf2uYVcWgLbMLxVWYJ9rCVa9n89eCojQWboDTtY-daGCqVvHvftE_M1/s1600/austinTXchangeOpportunityIndex.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx-LLNunCJLZxO67HmuLYKoJ9r5DouVrMKlt4l49uNIDzqbfQ2laVWyqrlX2-vQa0c_Q0APz36_SnNwtz6_Q8cXqf2uYVcWgLbMLxVWYJ9rCVa9n89eCojQWboDTtY-daGCqVvHvftE_M1/s640/austinTXchangeOpportunityIndex.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.greendoors.org/programs/opportunity-mapping.php" target="_blank">Greendoors' Opportunity Mapping</a> defines opportunity as "<i>a situation or condition that places individuals in a position to be more likely to succeed or excel</i>". They are looking for opportunity-rich communities. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Their report "</span><a href="http://www.greendoors.org/programs/docs/Geography-of-Opportunity-Austin-2013.pdf" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">The Geography of Opportunity in Austin and How it is Changing</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">" maps Opportunity Index and Change Index. They display overlays of affordable housing and race in static and interactive maps. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Geography of opportunity in Austin TX, USA, is a joint project between </span><a href="http://www.greendoors.org/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Green Doors</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> and the Ohio State U </span><a href="http://kirwaninstitute.osu.edu/opportunity-communities/mapping/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. It includes educational quality, economic mobility, access to transportation and affordable housing.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuzWaLVCyuLU1NdSMXXaM_RAVeX1H1hIZbhPav6D1i32lm0WBAjCOZ_JPechMUfPRft0EAyFbSCCQFkgh6J_7Y2C4JHEubazOEqNaIji53G6-Ju79J13cUF1v73g6hVZMtj44DMPm-XzdA/s1600/mapBrisbaneOpportunitySpaces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuzWaLVCyuLU1NdSMXXaM_RAVeX1H1hIZbhPav6D1i32lm0WBAjCOZ_JPechMUfPRft0EAyFbSCCQFkgh6J_7Y2C4JHEubazOEqNaIji53G6-Ju79J13cUF1v73g6hVZMtj44DMPm-XzdA/s320/mapBrisbaneOpportunitySpaces.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="person_name" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px; text-align: center;">Queensland University of Technology urban designers, Guaralda Mirko and Magdalena</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16px; text-align: center;"> </span>Kowalik, write<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16px; text-align: center;"> about opportunities presented through "negative space" -- the space in between existing development -- i</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16px; text-align: center;">n their report "</span><a href="http://www.corp.at/archive/ppt/CORP2012_SLIDES138.pdf" target="_blank">Negative space and positive environment : mapping opportunities for urban resilience</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16px; text-align: center;">". </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16px; text-align: center;"> They discuss negative space to build sustainable units, to support/enhance 24/7 social interaction, and to adapt to cultural/social changes. Mapping negative space lets them see and understand where opportunities lie.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=207327149283039286716.0004d2c7daf84c293b9ea&msa=0" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkSH6Gk0C_rHlX2Kn8OpyGWZ19sbZApRh3bZEOIyIxGmH1YnIDEpEkn7rj8ZSec0mtSH_893KSlPHYlu1M7guHw7AwjrSz2vv-HlDgDGYdzyXrprvuxGBF9kNEas-dph8oYi1Zprg8D7ZM/s1600/derelictsDublin.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Researcher Eoin O’Mahony<br />writes me that his<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> <a href="http://www.thejournal.ie/derelict-sites-in-dublin-get-mapped-969180-Jun2013/" target="_blank">project</a> to <b><a href="https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=207327149283039286716.0004d2c7daf84c293b9ea&msa=0" target="_blank">map dereliction in Dublin</a></b> "<i>seeks to find the places where a new politics of the city, one which relies on all of the people resident in Dublin, can emerge</i>". I call the mapping of vacant sites, boarded up houses, closed commercial, closed institutional and publicly-owned and abandoned sites opportunity mapping for creatives. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9XDbyNk1LcvnIIzL5K6DlL8Z7vb0vWnlxelgyMACaa6dEJqmzp1NESRm5cXs050hO49lUYjE7hcLFBFwVVWr78hDMA1-S1jwUIFcin8wqvGUS_KzVD8v_nys-jxfrTrDUoycL0mCw0Ig0/s1600/vacantRuralLand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9XDbyNk1LcvnIIzL5K6DlL8Z7vb0vWnlxelgyMACaa6dEJqmzp1NESRm5cXs050hO49lUYjE7hcLFBFwVVWr78hDMA1-S1jwUIFcin8wqvGUS_KzVD8v_nys-jxfrTrDUoycL0mCw0Ig0/s1600/vacantRuralLand.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: whitesmoke; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let's get rural where larger tracts of land are available. In </span></span><span style="background-color: whitesmoke; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bridgetown North, Nova Scotia, for example, a</span><span style="background-color: whitesmoke; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> <a href="http://www.annapoliscounty.ca/government/tenders-contracts-and-rfps/621-request-for-proposals-municipally-owned-land-in-bridgetown-north" target="_blank">request for Proposal</a> to develop thirty-four acres of vacant, municipally-owned land represents rural opportunities for creatives. "<i>P</i></span><span style="background-color: #fafafa; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><i>roposals [are sought] for the purchase or lease of land for direct business development, private use, commercial or industrial development, agriculture use, or other such develops than enhance or create recreational, tourism, or cultural opportunities".</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />Are we really mapping opportunities -- opportunities such as:</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">derelict buildings/vacant space</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">meeting places</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">film shoot locations and locations of past films</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">fixed assets alongside dynamic events</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the geography of resident and non-resident company HQs</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">absentee-HQ'd companies vs resident companies</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">branch plants vs home-grown businesses</span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">inventions</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">start</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ups and business deaths (turbulence/edge-of-chaos businesses)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"rate-of-growth" businesses</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">community leaders ('doers and producers')</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">profit-margin mapping (low profits = adverse to innovate)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">entrepreneurs</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">strong and weak infrastructure and virtual connections</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We need to map "outside the box" and look at our communities differently.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269481844984010110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581989437243608607.post-46455291319928930572013-10-15T06:12:00.001-07:002013-10-15T06:13:31.721-07:00RURAL TWEETS WEBSITE CREATED FOR THE ANNAPOLIS VALLEY REGION, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqAY4sqppAPwxQXuzntirEYO69wtitjAN0wu-B1zzoSieDwEcOu2Tyf3snxg-Pyrvr-Eki_1wsbX8fZs5W3sH01XkCQnR1C0ZsVJyK5iAH2mZB7Dd6t12FmYOfFdbeUpDrweZIq6Nntqps/s1600/logo_ruralTweets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqAY4sqppAPwxQXuzntirEYO69wtitjAN0wu-B1zzoSieDwEcOu2Tyf3snxg-Pyrvr-Eki_1wsbX8fZs5W3sH01XkCQnR1C0ZsVJyK5iAH2mZB7Dd6t12FmYOfFdbeUpDrweZIq6Nntqps/s640/logo_ruralTweets.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the spirit of "rural redefined" I have created a website called "<a href="http://www.ruraltweets.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">RuralTweets</a>" with tweets grouped by category covering the Annapolis Valley region of Nova Scotia. This is an experimental testbed that will hopefully evolve organically.<br />LINK: <a href="http://ruraltweets.blogspot.ca/">ruraltweets.blogspot.ca</a></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269481844984010110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581989437243608607.post-67890028025391508602013-10-15T01:59:00.000-07:002013-10-15T01:59:04.521-07:00OneNS PREPARES TO TOUR THE PROVINCE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCifa6LMhfQHMGCZd5vvLy-fFJtggNViCBfjNs9fPXu4sAPALWTbxNfrxYxNgQg4hGGV0APzXnnM-N1ug3PRUlNUP0iMZaKlpp0j_BpyeDYToUElbCC_ELNt5p41c2jZXa-yqk7kD4Ck/s1600/oneNSmeetings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCifa6LMhfQHMGCZd5vvLy-fFJtggNViCBfjNs9fPXu4sAPALWTbxNfrxYxNgQg4hGGV0APzXnnM-N1ug3PRUlNUP0iMZaKlpp0j_BpyeDYToUElbCC_ELNt5p41c2jZXa-yqk7kD4Ck/s400/oneNSmeetings.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The <a href="http://onens.ca/">OneNS Commission</a> that is looking into new directions to steer Nova Scotia's economy of the future, as Nova Scotians see it, begins to hold <a href="http://onens.ca/get-involved/public-meetings/">c</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.390625px;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://onens.ca/get-involved/public-meetings/">ommunity sessions</a> to present <a href="http://onens.ca/interim-report/">key findings</a> from their research and "discuss their implications for households, businesses, and communities". Their interim report of key findings does not present recommendations at this time. These will accompany the final report, due in early 2014.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.390625px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22.390625px;">Twelve sessions are planned between 15Oct2013 to 12Nov2013 with the final one being a virtual town hall meeting at the <a href="http://www.nscc.ca/explorenscc/campuses/waterfront/">NSCC Waterfront Campus</a> in Dartmouth, hosted </span></span>by <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/maritimenoon/biographies.html">Costas Halavrezos</a>.<span style="background-color: white;"><br /><br /><br /></span></span>Edward Wedlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17790933303758373577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581989437243608607.post-20350613345037890522013-10-14T03:00:00.000-07:002013-10-14T03:00:13.386-07:00TAPPING INTO OUR GOLDMINE: find a vision, leaders and a great story<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A local farmer once told me that we
have, here, an "I'll-cut-your-hair-you-mow-my-lawn" mentality. To
grow and prosper we need to escape that mindset and look beyond our borders. Further,
I think we’re sitting on a goldmine – our own people. We just have to learn how
to tap into it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsxECx0Y2I7scfyxKL-3mCxYgSFUzJP6dTiGe0qJRSzyN_dlQ9z2SOgaC5T60ZWMpNy0fYgZ1l7PqeK9PNdv3RC9UPyeShmzhfJGbE1u2Ohq6v8pnE2QELoq-H4lkI4SZ_htHuBmlOZIUs/s1600/findingCreatives.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsxECx0Y2I7scfyxKL-3mCxYgSFUzJP6dTiGe0qJRSzyN_dlQ9z2SOgaC5T60ZWMpNy0fYgZ1l7PqeK9PNdv3RC9UPyeShmzhfJGbE1u2Ohq6v8pnE2QELoq-H4lkI4SZ_htHuBmlOZIUs/s640/findingCreatives.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">WHERE ARE WE NOW?</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the three decades since deciding to
make rural Nova Scotia my home I have seen rural decay. Let's sample my
checklist.<br />
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Our resource sector (fishing, farming and forestry) has been in steady decline.
When your economy relies on agriculture and a small number of industries you
leave yourself vulnerable.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There exists fierce global competition
in manufacturing. The time for chasing smokestack and big industries are over --
think Glace Bay, Port Hawkesbury, Shelburne County, and Yarmouth.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">People are leaving in droves, with
rampant out-migration of younger people to urban areas and other provinces. Economist
<a href="http://www.creativeclass.com/richard_florida" target="_blank">Richard Florida</a> tells us that cities have strength, efficiency and opportunity
in numbers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We seem to have a tough time retaining post-secondary
level talent. Is it any wonder when real jobs lie elsewhere?</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">WHERE DO WE WANT TO BE?</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Destination tourism consultant, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=JZIhsBLYgwk#!" target="_blank">RogerA. Brooks</a>, states that too many communities use the "shotgun
approach" -- do a bit here, do something over there, fix this, patch that.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have good news and I have bad news.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The good news is that each community
CAN draw up a vision, something that sets it apart and attracts "outside
dollars". The bad news is that visions can be as varied and unique as
the people who live in the community. You cannot be all things to all people.
Pick one.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">HOW DO WE GET THERE?</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">First, we need to get off our ass and
do something. Events such as The <a href="http://www.georgetownconference.ca/" target="_blank">Georgetown Conference</a> is a step in
the right direction.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Next, we need to do three things: seek
the right leaders, movers and shakers; build a culture of creativity and
innovation; and, grow from within.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">LEADERSHIP</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Strong leaders (catalysts), whether they be individuals or small groups, can read the sentiment
of their community, can craft an exciting vision, seek collaboration and help,
and have a knack of getting things done. Alongside these catalysts we need "accelerators"; those individuals or groups that share the catalysts' vision and are in a position of authority or well-being to scale up and propel the catalysts' efforts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">CULTURE OF CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
In his research, economist Richard Florida found that, these days, creativity
and innovation drives development and having
a central, <i>physical</i> location for creative, innovative people
to gather is key. He tells us we need to foster talent,
diversity/tolerance, and technology.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Further, as Canadian media celebrity <a href="http://www.shaunmajumder.com/" target="_blank">Shaun Majumder</a> <a href="http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/39547651" target="_blank">stated at the Georgetown Conference</a> when referring to communities as small as his Burlington, Newfoundland, hometown, don't underestimate the power of the story to tell the world about your culture and projects.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">SOLUTIONS FROM WITHIN</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In an article on the global giant, Google, The Economist once </span><a href="http://www.economist.com/node/17633138" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">reported</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> that " </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 23px;"><i>most of Google's novel ideas come from people embedded in the company's core operations ...</i>" and that to remain competitive it had to hang on to its talent pool. Maybe rural communities can learn from this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />I came across an interesting concept a
while ago called "<a href="http://growinglocaleconomies.com/economic_gardening" target="_blank">economic gardening</a>”, pioneered in Littleton, Colorado,
in 1989 (and promoted in Canada <a href="http://www.economicgardening.ca/" target="_blank">here</a>). Their approach resulted in a 71% increase in employment and a tripling
of sales tax revenues with no corporate incentives or tax breaks.<span id="goog_178948952"></span><span id="goog_178948953"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a> Their
solution came from tapping into their own people and helping them explore and
understand markets, competitors, customers and trends.<br />
<br />Through the pioneering efforts of <a href="http://cre8tivedant.com/" target="_blank">Dan Taylor</a>, rural Prince Edward County in Ontario tapped into its people, culture, and
strengths, and looked to its customers. Within about ten years they grew at a
rate faster than that of Ontario or the rest of Canada.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let's put out a clarion call. Let’s
find, nurture and reward those who create and innovate. They are often
under-the-radar, but they do exist. They are the ones who can build our
communities. They need our support.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">NOW ... WHAT IF ...</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
You found a way to quadruple tourism or the number of small businesses in your area? You made a promotional
YouTube video that went viral? You could develop a
culinary outpost?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are many possible solutions out
there. We need to pick carefully, follow the true leaders in our communities,
work together, and build on our inherent strengths.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Finally, my father once told me "I
judge results, not promises". Let's make results and head out on our own roads to Georgetown.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269481844984010110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581989437243608607.post-65424795721876450462013-10-06T11:58:00.001-07:002013-10-07T06:54:56.243-07:00THE GEORGETOWN CONFERENCE: "RURAL REDEFINED"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XCYBePJigUFscY3WJUDQUi-qa4CW24Cb8HncC4jOswmeAYp9w1Q6s-YTNykJoVW0sbtmhXSHJKE3Zn_B_OtM6l3i3tcLIWfhmYGMFDkfP888sg13vF-LnkAtKZwxr9J8xMs7zCy12ZA/s1600/DSC00048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XCYBePJigUFscY3WJUDQUi-qa4CW24Cb8HncC4jOswmeAYp9w1Q6s-YTNykJoVW0sbtmhXSHJKE3Zn_B_OtM6l3i3tcLIWfhmYGMFDkfP888sg13vF-LnkAtKZwxr9J8xMs7zCy12ZA/s640/DSC00048.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
The past few days at the inaugural <a href="http://thegeorgetownconference.ca/">Georgetown Conference</a> (Theme: Rural Redefined) have inspired me.<br />
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This was no ordinary gathering. "Doers and producers" in the four Atlantic Canadian Provinces -- Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador -- representing communities as small as about 100, assembled to share success stories. Patron sponsor, <a href="http://newspapersatlantic.ca/">Newspapers Atlantic</a>, deliberately hand-picked delegates after an application process. They wanted people who were making a difference in their rural community. They also wanted a right mix of gender, geography, experience and background. They got it right. They also deliberately went out of their way to ensure this was not a government-sponsored or a government directed event. The effort was to showcase and bring together the activist grassroots community. I could have counted the number of elected officials on two fingers or so.<br />
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Much of the Georgetown Conference was recorded, archived and will made available online. My views, below, just touch the highlights as I saw the conference.<br />
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RURAL COMMUNITY COMMITMENT AND SUCCESS<br />
My first inspiration came from the conference's very first presenter, <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/1702241/how-multimillionaire-zita-cobb-plans-turn-tiny-canadian-island-arts-mecca">Zita Cobb</a> out of Fogo Island, NL, and founder of <a href="http://www.shorefast.org/">Shorefast Foundation</a>. She has turned people's perception of rural, outport communities on its head. Yes, the people in the community can leave to explore the world, come back, and make a difference. Her signature legacy, in my view, is her <a href="http://www.saunders.no/work/item/28-fogo-hotel">Fogo Island Inn</a> designed by Norwegian architect <a href="http://www.saunders.no/">Todd Saunders</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.saunders.no/images/stories/flexicontent/l_pg--15-fogoisland_architecture_5087_original.jpg"><img height="192" src="http://www.saunders.no/images/stories/flexicontent/l_pg--15-fogoisland_architecture_5087_original.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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Following Zita was a fellow Newfoundlander, the effervescent Donna Butt, artistic Director of the <a href="http://www.risingtidetheatre.com/">Rising Tide Theatre</a> in Trinity, NL. Her presentation resonated with me because I had experienced an outdoor play in Trinity a few years ago with an overnight stay at the <a href="http://fishersloft.com/?page_id=2133">Fishers Loft</a> that was so memorable the details remain crystal clear. The whole community it seems has become part of a remarkable tourist attraction on the arts.<br />
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THE CHALLENGES TO RURAL COMMUNITY<br />
Well, the keynote speaker for "Challenges to Rural Community" had to be another highlight. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_Griffiths">Doug Griffiths</a>, MLA from Wainwright, Alberta, gave an entertaining, educational and powerful presentation. He co-authored the book "<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10381530-13-ways-to-kill-your-community">13 Ways to Kill Your Community</a>". But it wasn't doom and gloom. It was a clarion call to get our act together and look out for those things we need to fix or avoid to improve our quality of rural place. His credibility rated high as he personally visited hundreds of communities to seek out what ails them, in order to understand rural issues -- problems and successes.<br />
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BUSINESS OF RURAL COMMUNITIES<br />
John Bragg, from the Bragg Group, Collingwood NS, and Barry Kyle, from Industrial Rubber Co., Bathurst NB and Labrador City NL gave their success story (with struggles along the way). They spoke about the importance and value of people to create vibrant communities and businesses. They spoke about reaching out beyond our borders, to the world's markets, to become competitive and be at the leading edge in their field.<br />
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GREAT IDEAS EXCHANGE<br />
Definitely, hands-down favourite presenter with the crowd was the no-nonsense, "kick in the pants" inspirational mayor from Yarmouth NS, <a href="http://townofyarmouth.ca/index.php/town-council-main-menu/councillors/mayor-mood">Mayor Pam Mood</a>.<br />
<a href="http://townofyarmouth.ca/index.php/town-council-main-menu/councillors/mayor-mood"><img alt="pam-mood-3013" src="http://townofyarmouth.ca/images/stories/pam-mood-3013.jpg" /></a><br />
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Sometimes it requires a strong character to deal with a community crisis (see blog post on <a href="http://creativerural.blogspot.ca/2012/08/leaders-who-make-difference-in-creative.html">Chemainus, British Columbia</a>). Heavens knows the Town of Yarmouth has had its share. But this did not deter Mayor Mood from turning things on its ear. Her "<a href="http://thegeorgetownconference.ca/all-hands-on-deck/">All Hands on Deck</a>" program inspired the town to collaborate and make a fundamental shift in attitude -- a first step to create a viable and vibrant community. I highly recommend her as a keynote speaker to other towns facing an attitude and cannot-do mindset. She did. You can.<br />
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FUTURE DOERS AND PRODUCERS<br />
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Media celebrity Shaun Majumder, actor and founder of "The Gathering" and the "Burlington Business Initiative", Burlington NL moderated the most important (in my view) final session of the conference with our next generation entrepreneurs:<br />
Nick MacGregor, MacLellan's Brook NS<br />
Brendan ("B-man") Curran, Alberry Plains PEI<br />
Maxime ("Baby Steps") Gauvin, NB<br />
Melissa Jackson, St John's NL and New Glasgow NS<br />
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Each entrepreneur gave their story and their views on what needed to be done to deal with youth out migration. The session ended with a discussion on Majumder-inspired projects and community-involved revitalization of home town, Burlington NL -- such as <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G7KVGY_xDQ">Majumder Manor</a>.<br />
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WHAT NEXT?<br />
I would apply to attend another Georgetown Conference. But I realise that to be accepted this would require that I continue to work hard to be a "doer" or "producer". Georgetown is no place for slackers, dreamers or spectators. I guess that's what I liked about this Georgetown Conference. Unlike other conferences I have attended, where delegates return home and the event quickly becomes history, these delegates will take home the ideas they freely shared in Georgetown and re-jig their work back home to become even more effective in building vibrant rural communities.<br />
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A representative from British Columbia, stood up at the end went to the stage and told everyone, "we need a Georgetown Conference in the Kootenays. Nova Scotians looked to Kentville, Yarmouth or Cape Breton for a Georgetown Conference. Someone yelled out "we need one in Africa". Majumder pointed to his compatriot from Trinity and said we need a Georgetown Conference in Trinity, Newfoundland and Labrador. The Georgetown Conference is not over yet -- not by a long shot.<br />
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<br />Edward Wedlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17790933303758373577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581989437243608607.post-76010425845426036842013-04-11T17:41:00.003-07:002013-04-24T07:26:55.056-07:00DEFINING A CREATIVE: beyond potters and paintersEXCERPTS FROM A SPEECH GIVEN TO STUDENTS AT ACADIA UNIVERSITY ...<br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When you students graduate from Acadia University about ¾ of you will become a Creative. You will become part of the Creative Class. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What do I mean by “Creative” and the “Creative Class”?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In front of you lies a blank sheet of paper and a lump of clay. On the paper are the words “create something”. Stare at it for awhile … then make something in 60 seconds ... and as</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"> you make something, ask yourself, "How can I make money with this piece of paper or lump of clay?”
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiou90wY2Vn6dv1A3Xs1maDKniMApGe5KJ9yw35Ohx-ZS7lLfEjjaGs7xbl7yjjpmZnu_GxoiDG72Dc1YHHUiyVmTCnBs3u8-zY3Q-gSFY-3xdnCdtF4zAOoxxpGtGtUHSJYl6fhwNpEPUJ/s1600/BOL_formCircle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiou90wY2Vn6dv1A3Xs1maDKniMApGe5KJ9yw35Ohx-ZS7lLfEjjaGs7xbl7yjjpmZnu_GxoiDG72Dc1YHHUiyVmTCnBs3u8-zY3Q-gSFY-3xdnCdtF4zAOoxxpGtGtUHSJYl6fhwNpEPUJ/s400/BOL_formCircle.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birds on a Line, cartoon series. Created from nothing.</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you can fill that blank sheet of paper or mold that clay into something new, AND GET PAID FOR WHAT YOU CREATE, consider yourself "a creative".</span></div>
<b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do you know that people do this every day? They stare at blank pieces of paper, blank computer screens, lumps of clay, pieces of metal and wood, or other raw materials.</span></div>
<b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Every day …</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Programmers write computer code and get paid.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Authors write screenplays and books, and get paid.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Musicians compose music and lyrics and receive royalties.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Architects and Engineers design structures and win contracts.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sculptors, potters and glassblowers mold raw materials.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Filmmakers fill blank film/disks to make documentaries.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Scientists develop formulae, models and theorems.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Artists draw and paint. Illustrators make Ads.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mapmakers map.
Gamers create cartoon characters and sound effects with marketing people.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Speechmakers influence people's thinking and get paid.</span></div>
<b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> start with nothing. As a Creative you exchange your intellect for personal economic gain. Even a stand-up comedian could be considered "a Creative".</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Social scientist Richard Florida, head of the Martin Prosperity Institute at the Rotman’s School of Management at the University of Toronto, defines a Creative “as someone who develops a new form from nothing and exchanges that form for economic gain.”</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, what is the creative class?
In my opening statement I said that ¾ of you students will become Creative and form part of the Creative Class. Statistically that is true.</span></div>
<b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Looking at Richard Florida's work, for every six of you who graduate to become part of the creative class four others who do NOT have degrees will join you as part of the group. These four are the street-smart entrepreneurs. Slightly more than half of your group will be female. If we look at race alone, ⅓ of whites become Creative. ¼ Afro-Americans become Creative, ⅕ Hispanics become creative, AND nearly ½ of Asians become Creative.</span></div>
<b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.15; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many people mistake the Creative Class as linked only to culture. This is not true. The Creative class spans all economic sectors (manufacturing, agriculture, science, health). The Creative Class is beyond potters and painters. It is more than about art and artists. A miner can be a creative if he/she develops a tool that could be used in mine safety and sold around the world.
Creatives often act locally but think globally. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dan Taylor, Economic Development Officer formerly with Prince Edward County in Ontario and now with the City of Peterborough, tells us that Creatives increasingly live where they want because they </span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; white-space: pre-wrap;">don't</span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"> need to go to where the jobs are. Jobs often come to them.</span></span></div>
<b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">About 12 years ago Richard Florida noticed a shift taking place in our economy. He called it the Creative Economy. In the USA he noted that 40+ million people now formed a new class of people that was driving our economy more than any other. He calls this the “Creative Class”. </span></div>
<b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.15; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In closing, Creative Class is powered by knowledge and innovation. It requires skill, training, innovation and street smarts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, look again at your piece of paper and your lump of clay and ask yourself “How can I be creative and make money from nothing?” Creatives do it everyday.</span>Edward Wedlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17790933303758373577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581989437243608607.post-53835205297017823772013-04-08T20:24:00.001-07:002013-04-08T22:43:44.454-07:00DISRUPTIVE CHANGE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGpQbMGcGazaS1u2NRq_pJGZowVa8MiKITOdQqBrl5V1uSPAM-rWC5y8tBMP9V_homVThyh3Z4tfREN7GYTPHpUIW7qFo0PQB9Yw53nnKSz9vJtnbej5GZ1inxi_aRd6ugK_0ixeCoBpNI/s1600/logo_SkollWorldForum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGpQbMGcGazaS1u2NRq_pJGZowVa8MiKITOdQqBrl5V1uSPAM-rWC5y8tBMP9V_homVThyh3Z4tfREN7GYTPHpUIW7qFo0PQB9Yw53nnKSz9vJtnbej5GZ1inxi_aRd6ugK_0ixeCoBpNI/s1600/logo_SkollWorldForum.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />Between 10-12 April 2013, </span><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.oxfordcity.co.uk/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Oxford UK</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> is venue to the </span><a href="http://skollworldforum.org/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Skoll World Forum</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> on Social Entrepreneurship, <i>"the premiere international platform for accelerating entrepreneurial approaches and innovative solutions to the world's social issues"</i>. <br /><br />This forum deals with disruptive changes in the way we work, live and play.<br /><br /><br /><br />Over 30 <a href="http://skollworldforum.org/forum-2013/sessions/" target="_blank">sessions</a> deal with <i>"d</i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>isruptive innovations [that] can reshape industries, supplant old technologies, and topple political regimes." </i>What ideas here relate to changes in rural culture, technology and well-being?</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I think about the disruptive social change this Forum presents I think about Sébastien<i> Paquet's "How to be a Culture Hacker" </i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ojQT6U-gRAM" target="_blank">video</a>. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">Paquet</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"> outlines nine tools to hack culture and cause cultural/social change. The Skoll World Forum hacks culture. This is not meant to be derogatory but describes someone who will change the way we view things and the way we relate to one another. The Skoll Forum brings people together who have discovered "cracks", people who can make you feel uncomfortable, who challenge you, "who see bullshit for what it is", who make changes and create something new.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"><br /><br /><br />The sessions of particular interest to creativeRural are:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;"><b><a href="http://skollworldforum.org/session/story-matters-creating-your-own-impact-videos/" target="_blank">Story Matters</a></b>: creating your own impact videos.<br /><b><a href="http://skollworldforum.org/session/tools-and-strategies-for-making-a-difference-a-session-with-sundance-storytellers/" target="_blank">Tools and Strategies for Making a Difference</a></b>: Sundance storytellers.<br /><b><a href="http://skollworldforum.org/session/oscars-and-indices-case-studies-on-storytelling-for-impact/" target="_blank">Oscars and Indices</a></b>: case studies on storytelling for impact.<br /><b><a href="http://skollworldforum.org/session/driving-change-from-within-the-social-intrapreneur/" target="_blank">Driving Change from Within</a></b>: the social intrapreneur.<br /><b><a href="http://skollworldforum.org/session/the-evolving-role-of-media-in-social-progress/" target="_blank">The Evolving Role of Media in Social Progress</a></b>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;">You will notice that I highlight storytelling, because I believe that matters; a lot. I have previously posted to this blog about the impact and role of storytelling on rural communities (<a href="http://creativerural.blogspot.ca/2012/09/creatives-who-use-stories-to-build.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://creativerural.blogspot.ca/2012/08/creating-and-sharing-your-culture.html" target="_blank">here</a>) and plan to post about ten storytellers' experiences and ideas on "redefining rural" from the Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia, <a href="http://creativerural.blogspot.ca/p/road-to-georgetown-cogs.html" target="_blank">Road to Georgetown Conference</a>; a prelude to the <a href="http://georgetownconference.ca/" target="_blank">Georgetown Conference</a> in Prince Edward Island, 3-5 October 2013.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 22px;">Stories define us. They describe our cultural DNA. They can help change us. Destination tourism consultant, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=G_nCcQBNh2Q#!" target="_blank">Roger A. Brooks</a>, writes in his book "<i>The 25 Immutable Rules of Successful Tourism</i>" that "great stories make the campfire memorable" (Rule 16). Communities succeed when they can tell great stories because they let visitors see into their soul, history, environment, arts and culture and can tell people what sets them apart from others. Today we have the technology and tools to open our communities, inform, motivate and inspire others, continents away.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269481844984010110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581989437243608607.post-80371960075512577402013-04-01T07:37:00.000-07:002013-04-01T07:39:53.244-07:00TECHNICITY: networks, sensors and mobile technologies<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Although this free, online course is about networks, sensors and mobile technologies that allow for new approaches to address the challenges our CITIES face, I think those of us in RURAL communities can have something to learn here. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This four week course starts Saturday 4th May 2013.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />The course </span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://www.coursera.org/course/techcity" target="_blank">Technicity</a></i></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> by Jennifer Evans-Cowley and Tom Sanchez from Ohio State University will be offered free of charge to everyone on the </span><a href="https://www.coursera.org/about" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Coursera</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> platform.</span><br />
<br />Edward Wedlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17790933303758373577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581989437243608607.post-26906975856185118522013-02-18T08:48:00.000-08:002013-02-23T00:44:28.040-08:00AN OPEN NOTE TO ONE NOVA SCOTIA: The Nova Scotia Commission on Building Our New Economy<span id="internal-source-marker_0.2895511561073363"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br class="kix-line-break" /></b><b>About three summers ago I invited about a dozen people to an informal meeting at the Rebekah Music Hall in Bear River.</b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b> </b></span></span><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This was a motley, yet savvy group of Nova Scotians from various backgrounds -- about as grassroots as you can get. I chose the Rebekah because it sat on the border of Annapolis and Digby counties. I saw the place as neutral territory; not government, not academia, not private sector business, not quite Annapolis, not quite Digby. No hidden agenda. And they served coffee.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I asked the group ...</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /><br class="kix-line-break" />What if there was a small town that could attract 40,000 visitors a year because they built upon one person’s vision? There is one. It’s in the rural badlands of Alberta. Population 200.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What if there was a dying, one industry town that could grow from one business to over 300 successful, small businesses, because of a desperate mayor and one man’s idea? There is one. It’s on Vancouver Island. Population 4,000.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And then I asked them. What if we could do the same thing here, in Nova Scotia?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I had an idea.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /><br class="kix-line-break" />Why don’t we hold a series of Pecha Kucha events, to discover our rural DNA? Let’s find out what makes us tick. People from a variety of backgrounds would come together and each have six minutes to propose an idea, tell a story, offer a challenge, present an opportunity, entertain, inform, motivate and inspire.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The idea was well received, BUT it was suggested that I expand the concept from three to over 12 events and cover the whole of southwest Nova Scotia. For one person with drive and energy but no money that was a lot to ask.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Instead, I chose to initiate TEDxAnnapolisValley in Wolfville. One event was easier to manage and easier on the pocketbook than twelve. Nine speakers from various backgrounds shared ideas in front of 30 organizers and almost 200 attendees at Wolfville’s Al Whittle Theatre.</span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What that Bear River meeting and Wolfville event taught me</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was there is a real interest and need to discover what makes us tick and to find ways to improve our well-being.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">World-renowned, economic development guru Richard Florida reports that 80% of solutions come from within the community - from the people who live there. His colleague Greg Baeker tells us ... if you chase smokestack industries you gain ZERO economic advantage in today’s economy. A study reported in the Harvard Business Review a couple of years ago showed that long-term job growth was related to the NUMBER of businesses per population. Size did not matter. Quantity did. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We need to promote small-scale “economic gardening”, and it starts in our own backyard. We need a culture to find, incubate and reward innovation in a new economy.</span><br /><span style="color: orange; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It starts from within; one person at a time.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">From CreativeRural to <a href="http://onens.ca/" target="_blank">One Nova Scotia</a></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">edwardwedler@gmail.com<br class="kix-line-break" />creativerural.blogspot.ca</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Twitter @CREandET </span></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269481844984010110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581989437243608607.post-10095166338813235542013-01-31T21:57:00.000-08:002013-01-31T21:57:04.470-08:00BRITISH COLUMBIA's 2013 DREAMCATCHER REPORT<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>British Columbia Creativity/Innovation Plan</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In May 2012, </span><a href="http://www.sfu.ca/bcreative/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">BCreative</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> convened a conference to consider the development of the creative economy of British Columbia, to build bridges to link the business and cultural communities, to promote information sharing between the cultural sub-sectors,</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> and to bring forward useful information, analysis, training, and research resources that can assist in building BC’s creative economy.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While the conference revealed a vast array of creative activity in the province, there remains little support from government outside the BC Arts Council, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">augmented by Community Gaming Grants. Support is relatively low compared to other Canadian provinces.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The creative sector employs an estimated 85,000 people (not </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">including volunteers) making this the second largest of BC’s six major industrial sectors). It generates of $4 billion in economic activity (the fifth largest sector in the BC economy).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.allianceforarts.com/files/enet/pdf/13/01/Dreamcatcher%20-%20Towards%20a%20Creativity%3AInnovation%20Strategic%20Plan%20for%20BC.pdf" target="_blank">Dreamcatcher Report</a> summarizes the BCreative conference and presents two actions that could help the BC creative economy: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <b>recognition and brand</b>. As part of recognition, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">cultural subsidies to artistic </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">activity can serve cultural policy and can act as an investment in cultural infrastructure. Branding the BC creative sector would place creativity and innovation in the mainstream mindset and act as long-term, primary, identifying element in BC and its society.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269481844984010110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581989437243608607.post-38304649917617699382013-01-22T00:45:00.001-08:002013-01-22T00:53:03.235-08:00 THE ROLE OF FOOD IN THE CREATIVE ECONOMY<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaxr1vaMXd5WAnUq3KD2cT9uEFU6mexRYU1-B2RPDOATKuPwwEJ8kowNPPa_lAHZBgO1Sv8RrXSznhZEGHIrFMkQziu2CswykzdamKpF2yNjEvEP9lh17_pt9mgE7HW4ufEUOTzsllzCad/s1600/culinary_CRE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaxr1vaMXd5WAnUq3KD2cT9uEFU6mexRYU1-B2RPDOATKuPwwEJ8kowNPPa_lAHZBgO1Sv8RrXSznhZEGHIrFMkQziu2CswykzdamKpF2yNjEvEP9lh17_pt9mgE7HW4ufEUOTzsllzCad/s1600/culinary_CRE.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Culinary team-building in London, UK, is offered by <a href="http://www.atelierdeschefs.co.uk/en/corporate/team-building-events.php" target="_blank">L'Atletier des Chefs</a> </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have noted over the past year the increasing role food and "foodies" play in the Creative Economy.<br /><br /><a href="http://cre8tivedant.com/" target="_blank">Dan Taylor</a>, "The Creative Rural Economy Guy", seems to include food in about 10% of his prolific twitter posts (@Cre8tiveDanT) coming out of <a href="http://www.peterborough.ca/" target="_blank">Peterborough, Ontario</a>. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Culinary team-building is an emerging trend to develop competitive creative thinking skills in groups and businesses, so writes Laura Cole with </span><a href="http://www.business2community.com/strategy/creative-corporate-event-ideas-culinary-team-building-in-2013-0383250" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Business2Community</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. </span><a href="http://creativechefkitchens.com/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Creative Chef Kitchens</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> in </span><a href="http://www.derry.nh.us/Pages/index" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Derry, NH</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> has built a business incubator for foodies, linking food artists, entrepreneurs and start-ups with economic development. In 2012, the <a href="http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome" target="_blank">USDA</a> allocated $10 million towards the local food movement, through their <a href="http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams.fetchTemplateData.do?template=TemplateN&navID=WholesaleandFarmersMarkets&leftNav=WholesaleandFarmersMarkets&page=FMPP&description=Farmers%20Market%20Promotion%20Program&acct=fmpp" target="_blank">Farmers Market Promotion Program</a>. Over $11 million was pledged last year to over 1,800 food start-up projects via <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/year/2012" target="_blank">Kickstarter</a> in the USA.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Richard Florida, in his book "Rise of the Creative Class: Revisited", tells us in essence that if you can put something on a blank sheet of paper, or blank computer screen, or mold something new out of material or from your body, and exchange that intellectual property for economic gain, you are a creative and you help build the economic well-being of your community. Think about that for awhile. That would include, for example, architects, engineers, mathematicians, doctors, musicians, computer programmers, artists, comedians, playwrights, filmmakers, boat and fashion designers, advertisers, dance choreographers, vintners, and, yes, culinary chefs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Many community projects use food as a starting point or keystone in economic development in towns such as in Balston, Virginia, and Holyoke, Massachussets, the <a href="http://www.trailkilkenny.ie/food-trail/" target="_blank">food trails of Kilkenny</a>, Ireland, and the <a href="http://www.exchangemagazine.com/morningpost/2012/week36/Thursday/12090606.htm" target="_blank">food clusters of Ontario</a> as described by the <a href="http://martinprosperity.org/" target="_blank">Martin Prosperity Institute</a>. Interestingly, Florida found relationships between community economic development and the number of coffee shops. These are meeting places for creatives. The <a href="http://www.kitchensisters.org/" target="_blank">Kitchen Sisters</a> talk about how communities come together through food in the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhnSpid91r4&feature=plcp" target="_blank">Edible Education Series</a> of lectures from the University of California, Berkeley.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The creative economy is more than visual and performing artists, and technical people. It includes food and the culinary arts. Networking food producers and food consumers via culinary creators </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">forms part of the creative economy. Food creates communities.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What is your creative food story?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269481844984010110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581989437243608607.post-86602329911902667892013-01-13T21:32:00.000-08:002013-01-13T21:52:58.481-08:00Norwalk CT: A STORY ON HOW TO BUILD A CREATIVE COMMUNITY<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6WK8Mwtjw_U#!" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZdPlFXMAK_9Bx-Gw1Eeo5PSdcGymgljxVvyTxBS1_pAuGszFKqWIXOJZj9VCnVxuKoWv2jEKZhqqvpySHCBJEIvsZ55cboITY1qh-3ibtTJJDFx1ae7Vl4nSIPOU71sMStsXkJLGjD7iv/s640/norwalk20YouTubeImage.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">YouTube video of "friendly" presentation of Norwalk 2.0 project and survey results, to the beat of the song "Hey Hey Hey" by Sounds of Sunshine Michael Franti & Spearhead Capitol.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is an inspiring story about a community looking for answers on how to transform their place into a "cool downtown". The story can apply to other communities -- urban and rural.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6WK8Mwtjw_U#!" target="_blank">Norwalk 2.0</a> is an independent, non-profit start-up operating on a shoestring budget. They asked questions of those who work, play and live in their community -- lots of questions. How do we fill up vacant storefronts? How do we let people know about the creatives who live there? What do we know about ourselves? What do we care about? How do we get the community engaged, including artists and businesses? A <a href="http://www.norwalk2.org/notsoexecutivesummary-final.pdf" target="_blank">12-question survey</a> was broadcast to members of the community, free, over the internet and on foot, for five months, gathering information.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJarKPZtyysqEFj18vASLh_Ep_Z0WbipUat089KMLn_czW2x2u8CQNX3NRYZbfhL0JP8HOfwEBKBAuSsd8WfW22cqT0em2sd3nsjKxYv_qhsqBlEip84Z6YsmCiJdoCkvI_vhDtufLncd4/s1600/norwalk20WordleImageB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJarKPZtyysqEFj18vASLh_Ep_Z0WbipUat089KMLn_czW2x2u8CQNX3NRYZbfhL0JP8HOfwEBKBAuSsd8WfW22cqT0em2sd3nsjKxYv_qhsqBlEip84Z6YsmCiJdoCkvI_vhDtufLncd4/s320/norwalk20WordleImageB.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cloud image of concerns from "Native Norwalkers"</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">758 people took the survey. They learned, for example, that 82% of respondents like to dine out. 64% like attending community events such as the Oyster Festival. Interestingly 48% of Norwalk news is spread by word-of-mouth. <a href="http://www.wordle.net/" target="_blank">Wordle</a> was used to visually display issues that most concerned the community. They also used similar "cloud pictures" on population sub-sets such as "native Norwalkers".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Norwalk 2.0's events and projects were often <a href="http://norwalk.patch.com/blog_posts/norwalk-20-building-an-arts-scene-one-event-at-a-time" target="_blank">small, innovative, grass-roots, sustainable and community-based</a>. But there were obstacles. First, the group did not neatly fit into any box. They had to build credibility and trust. Norwalk 2.0 learned three lessons for success: leverage technology, engage politicians, and be transparent.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Vacant storefronts are becoming leased. Stakeholders now seek the group out for input to community planning, zoning and creative community development ideas. Developers continue to support the group's events and community building.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I came across this item through the creative place-making initiatives listed with NEFA, <a href="http://www.nefa.org/creative_economy/projects/building_creative_economy_community" target="_blank">the New England Foundation of the Arts website</a>. It is worth a listen and read, and even be part of a presentation on what enthusiasm and community spirit means to the well-being of a community, no matter how big or small.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269481844984010110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581989437243608607.post-59072987499370278502012-12-14T08:39:00.002-08:002012-12-14T08:44:00.044-08:00IMMERSE YOURSELF IN COMMUNITY DATA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Imagine walking or driving about a neighborhood and automatically capturing data and information on your mobile device about your surroundings, such as: age distribution, political contributions, average rent, popular local spots, recommended restaurants, how people commute, record temperature and housing units over time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /> <a href="http://sitegeist.sunlightfoundation.com/">Sitegeist</a> is a mobile App that "presents localized information visually so you can get back to enjoying the neighborhood." It extracts data from available sources. This tech tool was developed by the non-partisan, non-profit Sunlight Foundation, as part of their mission to develop cutting edge technology and make government more transparent and accountable.<br /><br />I think this idea can be made scalable to include so much more to enrich our experience moving through new communities. Imagine, for example, being presented, in real-time, cultural events and groups, community notice boards of items for sale, rest and recreation, video/audio vignettes of local talent, professional network contacts, local tide and ferry information.<br /><br /><br /> Sitegeist points us towards an immersible experience where the community can offer us its culture, opportunities and vision. What a great tool, for example, for tourism operators and regional economic developers.<br /><br /><br /> If you had a mobile App such as Sitegeist what would want to learn as you walk or drive about a new community?</span><span style="color: #413a3a; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="color: #413a3a; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269481844984010110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581989437243608607.post-71443359282219945122012-09-12T00:51:00.000-07:002012-09-12T00:58:15.272-07:00CAN THE 6% PLACE PROJECT THEORY WORK IN RURAL AREAS?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHjDc-jjh9cVkWYC_4GFLO0lz8zFXj0VnuwjY9n1k2yO8MiN09UWPhuvSM9Yt4TVnEO4LPQqde24C1UfAnXIzEvU2KPeQn84lW6lczIMp0qSVoj3hW0ubuxPTynVYL3s__ZxycDuLQtra6/s1600/6percentProject.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHjDc-jjh9cVkWYC_4GFLO0lz8zFXj0VnuwjY9n1k2yO8MiN09UWPhuvSM9Yt4TVnEO4LPQqde24C1UfAnXIzEvU2KPeQn84lW6lczIMp0qSVoj3hW0ubuxPTynVYL3s__ZxycDuLQtra6/s640/6percentProject.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">image from: <a href="http://www.citylabpgh.org/experiments/six-percent-place/">http://www.citylabpgh.org/experiments/six-percent-place/</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">6% Theory tells us that when at least six percent of a neighbourhood's population works in creative fields, investors are attracted (2007 <a href="http://www.citylabpgh.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/CREATIVE-NEIGHBORHOODS-THE-STUDY-THAT-STARTED-IT-ALL.pdf">Creative Neighborhoods Study</a>). Can the 6% Place Project theory work in rural areas, such as much of Nova Scotia, Canada?<br /><br />I was inspired by "doTank" <a href="http://www.citylabpgh.org/">cityLab</a>, whose mission is to use the city as a laboratory for experiments that might stimulate economic vibrancy, and their 2011 <a href="http://www.citylabpgh.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/six-percent-place-condensed.pdf">6% Place Project</a>. Their project developed a practical toolbox of 16 incentives to reach the 6% creatives target. This project identified creatives and the "creatives environment" in the Garfield suburb of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, USA.<br /><br />The six-percent goal is a starting place to look at economic growth/revival. In its simplest terms, the starting goal is to look at the "lay of the land" and count the number of creatives in the community, looking at factors, such as:<br />topography<br />road patterns and infrastructure<br />median income<br />educational achievement<br />family makeup<br />worker movement/chain migration patterns<br /><br />The Toolbox that was developed by cityLab to attract 6% creatives to Garfield, Pennsylvania, USA, included projects such as:<br />Dream property database<br />Expand the Arts<br />Food Incubator<br />Street Market<br />Tiny Housing<br />and more ...<br /><br />What can we learn from the cityLab 'doTanks' example, by mapping and identifying creatives in rural areas and conditions that attract/deter creatives so we can build our economies? Can the 6% theory apply to rural areas?<br /><br />How does your region's rural communities stack up against the 6% theory?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.citylabpgh.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/CREATIVE-NEIGHBORHOODS-THE-STUDY-THAT-STARTED-IT-ALL.pdf"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5PvbTUAhPs2wL9R_rbWhqHcnLCNS6GUFX5VerRaXwH4C4CVkfrLOnGxHaUVat06J20Da0jpVVaxaa53ZtjIxPFHC6ufSFiIOJx2yX2s2p-snlKxOoXJXbRPE_lHWq9lhdAT8wlO60VzIY/s400/sixPercentNeighborhoods.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />San Francisco's <a href="http://www.citylabpgh.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/CREATIVE-NEIGHBORHOODS-THE-STUDY-THAT-STARTED-IT-ALL.pdf">Six-Percent Neighborhoods</a> PDF </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />LINK TO </span><a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/morning-file/walkabout-garfield-hopes-to-benefit-from-influx-of-creative-class-on-revitalized-streets-652780/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">6% Walkabout</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> article.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">LINK TO <a href="http://www.citylabpgh.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/six-percent-place-condensed.pdf">6% Place Project PDF</a>.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269481844984010110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581989437243608607.post-44206172613487349552012-09-05T07:39:00.001-07:002012-09-05T07:53:24.960-07:00CREATIVES USE STORIES TO SHARE CULTURE AND HISTORY<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/43511487" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxS221nE-e2ZnW7USG2P3HV9vJqNtnDWX_L04M1ZI0U5Txayh0AtYn1kVN3o-Lzccv_RNkCziLqzbdMYkr913pcsQXxKqaUP1VGn05sQ-M4lscL7-qX5PeIB5_aqj-OzriUIEujG5o12pa/s1600/howFarIsHeaven.jpg" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/43511487" target="_blank">The film "How Far Is Heaven", is set in Jerusalem, <br />an isolated community on the Whanganui River in New Zealand</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"</span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Without your past who are you, and does it matter if anyone knows?</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">" <span style="font-size: x-small;">: </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Solange, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rwandan_Genocide" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Rwandan Refugee</a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Everyone has a story to tell. Stories enrich us, and the creative community of filmmakers and storytellers can capture, preserve and share the culture and heritage of often forgotten, or isolated people.<br /><br />In 2011, film-makers Christopher Pryor and Miriam Smith created a film about the 120-year-old Sisters of Compassion convent located in <a href="https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=Whanganui,+Manawatu-Wanganui,+New+Zealand+jerusalem&hl=en&ll=-39.554883,175.078125&spn=4.12927,8.453979&sll=-39.8092,175.225724&sspn=0.12857,0.264187&t=h&hnear=Jerusalem,+Ranana,+Manawatu-Wanganui,+New+Zealand&z=8">Jerusalem</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a>; an isolated community along the Whanganui River of New Zealand. The story, <a href="http://www.nzff.co.nz/film/d0801541-30a2-44ed-8f8c-db69907f26c8">"How Far Is Heaven"</a>, tells of three remaining three Pākehā nuns who lived there and the local Maori community that embraced them. This is one of several films about small communities, presented at the <a href="http://www.nzff.co.nz/wellington/announcing-our-new-zealand-documentary-programme">New Zealand 2012 International Film Festival</a>. The nuns reportedly no longer live there since the film was shot. The filmmakers have shared a part of the community that no longer exists.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Irish-born author, <a href="http://www.colummccann.com/" target="_blank">Colum McCann</a>, came to the USA in the 1980s and set out across the USA, on bike, to find stories. He found many. In a <a href="http://www.npr.org/2012/06/26/155777836/colum-mccann-links-communities-with-storytelling" target="_blank">recent interview</a> with NPR host Neal Conan, at the <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/99823443/Aspen-Idea-Magazine-Summer-2012-Issue" target="_blank">Apsen Institute Ideas Festival</a> and <a href="http://www.aspenwriters.org/storyswap-home.htm" target="_blank">Story Swap Project</a>, he says </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">"Storytelling is about understanding other people ... </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>if we can understand what’s happening to others, then we can finely, sort of, understand what’s happening to ourselves because there’s really loneliness in not being able to tell your story.</i>"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Story Swap is a powerful storytelling idea that builds community. Storytelling creatives abound, such as:</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.lanes.org/" target="_blank">The League for the Advancement of New England Storytelling including New York State</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.ottawastorytellers.ca/storyswaps/" target="_blank">Ottawa Storytellers</a>.<br />
<a href="http://www.sfs.org.uk/" target="_blank">The UK Society for Storytellers</a>.</div>
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<a href="http://www.zanendaba.co.za/" target="_blank">Zanendabe: The Institute of African Storytellers</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://storytelling.concordia.ca/refugeeyouth/" target="_blank">Mapping Memories</a> "<i>is a collaborative media project which uses personal stories and a range of media tools (video, sound walks, mapping, photography) to better understand the experiences of youth with refugee experience in Montreal</i>". Hip Hop artists, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/No-Bad-Sound/112599938800499" target="_blank">No Bad Sound</a>, in "<a href="http://blip.tv/mapping-memories-refugee-youth-project/roots-to-rap-with-3696077" target="_blank">Roots To Rap With: Expressing Identity Through Music</a>" use music to tell about their roots and their new life in Canada; to let people of other cultures understand each other.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stories are powerful. Today, they can be readily created and shared. What stories can your community share with the world?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />LINK: <a href="https://vimeo.com/43511487">How Far Is Heaven</a> (Trailer)<br />LINK: <a href="http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=155777836&m=155777829">Interview with Colum McCann</a> (Audio)<br />LINK: <a href="http://blip.tv/mapping-memories-refugee-youth-project/on-tour-with-mapping-memories-6147184">Mapping Memories Project</a> (Video)</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269481844984010110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581989437243608607.post-44164735439259737702012-08-30T11:13:00.003-07:002012-08-30T11:18:07.636-07:00CREATING AND SHARING YOUR CULTURE THROUGH MAPS<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you could share and map great "campfire" stories from your area, what would you say? What would you show? What would you write? What would you teach? If you could easily do this online, with friends and colleagues, where would you start?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What would you share about the elder, for example, who still collects rare plants in the area to make native medicines? Or the music historian who has collected local folklore and songs from the past? Or the author who writes about <a href="http://www.pottersfieldpress.com/authors/parkerm.html" target="_blank">long-lost, ghost towns</a>? Or the lady who makes periwinkle soup? Or the farmer who teaches how to make rich compost in eight weeks?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Destination tourism consultant and guru <a href="http://www.destinationdevelopment.com/" target="_blank">Roger A. Brooks</a> once wrote "Great Stories Make the Campfire Memorable" in his book "<a href="http://fama2.us.es:8080/turismo/turismonet1/economia%20del%20turismo/marketing%20turistico/25%20inmmutables%20rules%20of%20succesful%20tourism.pdf" target="_blank">The 25 Immutable Rules of Successful Tourism</a>". If you want to entice visitors you must share interesting stories.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWcOTbaFwmvUJpyJqt5VZ-b7nZFu6r_EEEdaeQsCGp85kHpShKC6Ok7bvRBltGrQAdx5rWlQJjhGq5O9xKrM-PZojiGttW2x_IZDguXX6uS6v5Yo8hWMrHBPFj5B-RtO8vPHTq6vabW46/s1600/googleMapMakerShare_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWcOTbaFwmvUJpyJqt5VZ-b7nZFu6r_EEEdaeQsCGp85kHpShKC6Ok7bvRBltGrQAdx5rWlQJjhGq5O9xKrM-PZojiGttW2x_IZDguXX6uS6v5Yo8hWMrHBPFj5B-RtO8vPHTq6vabW46/s1600/googleMapMakerShare_2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Generic" map and images of the area around Argyle, Nova Scotia, that can be customized</span>.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.google.com/mapmaker" target="_blank">Google Map Maker</a></b> lets you customize a map and post such stories with friends and colleagues, and <u>now</u> share them with the world (text, images, audio, video, links).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You share the map with those you want to help build it. You display the map with those you want to see it. People can comment on the map. They can review/correct the map. They can provide further/new information about the area. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Google has just made community mapping and sharing easier, so your culture, heritage, geography, industry -- your stories -- could be shown to the world. It's like crowd-sourcing an "organic, breathing map" of your area, making the map richer, more complete and current.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What's your next community map?</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269481844984010110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581989437243608607.post-37864787506028049392012-08-27T07:39:00.000-07:002012-08-27T07:43:10.535-07:00LEADERS WHO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A CREATIVE ECONOMY<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"<i>Yes, politics can kill projects - if you let them!</i>", Karl Shutz once wrote me.</span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3pOoDpEO2YxDanXp2HkpAm962Tziou3Snyz04Dph22DFL2Pn8IuN-RSDtDRo1y1NQDwrKaG_7UXw3eLiXkhjFH45xw82WoKd-YcUiFYlAKH2LqcQ49UB832Ed3-p-HPyttMx6QzH7Rt1_/s1600/chemainus_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3pOoDpEO2YxDanXp2HkpAm962Tziou3Snyz04Dph22DFL2Pn8IuN-RSDtDRo1y1NQDwrKaG_7UXw3eLiXkhjFH45xw82WoKd-YcUiFYlAKH2LqcQ49UB832Ed3-p-HPyttMx6QzH7Rt1_/s320/chemainus_3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Selected murals from Chemainus, British Columbia, Canada.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br />Back in 1971, way before the internet, <a href="http://www.kschutz.com/" target="_blank">Karl Shutz</a> proposed an idea, a vision, to revitalize the small community of <a href="http://www.chemainus.com/" target="_blank">Chemainus</a>, British Columbia, population 3,000. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The town was a fast-fading relic from its past glory in the forest industry. It wasn't until 10 years later, during the recession of the early 80s, that a young 29-year old Mayor came along to share this vision, and who was in a position to say "let's do it". </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Karl's vision, the Mayor and community helped to put Chemainus on the cultural map -- a town now nicknamed "<i>Mural Town</i>" for its many murals, with a tagline "<i>The Little Town That Could</i>". </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chemainus now boasts cultural, craft and culinary fairs, galleries, musical performances, theatre and growing recreation and support industries. This month alone 97 events events were posted to its website; not bad for a town of 3,000 people. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That theatre in Chemainus, the <a href="http://www.chemainustheatrefestival.ca/" target="_blank">Chemainus Theatre Festival</a>, has a connection to another leadership story -- one from <a href="http://www.rosebud.ca/" target="_blank">Rosebud</a>, Alberta, a hamlet of 300+ people.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM6Z3lfSVfdBArv7LOoIz1f1ee1XIC376b1-cMbTX1Fy0f715F0hKGE3S7LU-eA7u_vsULGVZ3hO-NvBJO86XxzH9yxLUEwfi9YJ-GLYRobHvJpZiWXzipJWOkVjrnu7GHQ7RQEQH8GFJI/s1600/rosebudAlberta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM6Z3lfSVfdBArv7LOoIz1f1ee1XIC376b1-cMbTX1Fy0f715F0hKGE3S7LU-eA7u_vsULGVZ3hO-NvBJO86XxzH9yxLUEwfi9YJ-GLYRobHvJpZiWXzipJWOkVjrnu7GHQ7RQEQH8GFJI/s640/rosebudAlberta.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The connection is <a href="http://it%20was%20once%20a%20thriving%20community%20of%20ranchers%2C%20farmers%20and%20miners%2C%20but%20times%20turned%20tough%20and%20the%20town%20wilted./" target="_blank">LaVerne Erickson</a>. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">His story dates back to 1973.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">About 100km outside Calgary, in the badlands of Alberta, lies the tiny hamlet of Rosebud. It was once a thriving community of ranchers, farmers and miners, but times turned tough and the town faded. Nothing drew people to Rosebud.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In 1973 LaVerne, a high school teacher had a vision. He opened the Rosebud Camp for the Arts as an outreach for city youth, many of whom had not experienced rural life. His original summer camp grew over time and became a Fine Arts High School. Then, in 1988, came a turning point. The Alberta government passed the "Rosebud School of the Arts Act" opening its doors to post-secondary training. <a href="http://www.rosebudschoolofthearts.com/" target="_blank">Rosebud School of the Arts</a> was based on a guild model, using mentors and outside professionals, that began to attract theatre arts students from all over North America.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rosebud now attracts over 40,000+ "paying visitors" each year to its theatre and cultural events and a growing cultural community.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chemainus and Rosebud, to me, are examples where visionary cultural leaders began a creative process that were helped along by the political visionaries. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today, our world interacts very differently than the early 1970s. We need, however, to back our cultural visionaries and political leaders who view the creative economy as our new economy. Our political and economic leaders need to understand this change. As, economic developer consultant, <a href="http://mappingauthenticity.com/our-practice/our-team/founder/" target="_blank">Greg Baeker</a> once <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5sQ8JK66fs" target="_blank">said</a> "you have zero economic advantage when you choose to chase smokestack industries".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let's support the visionaries like Karl Schutz and Laverne Erickson. It's time to unearth, celebrate and be inspired by our creative visionaries and use politics to help when and where possible. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01269481844984010110noreply@blogger.com0