Philosophy of Digital Man and Digital Society - 2024

Conditions for the Formation of the Creative Class as a Core of the Creative City

Directions for Implementing Foreign Experience in the Philosophy of Creative Cities

The formation of the creative class is significantly influenced by components identified by Richard Florida in his work "The Rise of the Creative Class":

1. talent;
2. technology;

He argued that this new intellectual class—the creative class—plays a crucial role in urban environments, necessitating the attraction and support of talent. Such an approach would stimulate technological innovation, while it is also beneficial for cities to remain open and tolerant towards cultural diversity, unconventional lifestyles, and various sexual orientations. In this artistic atmosphere, characterized by good design, a culture of coffee and the internet, cultural diversity plays a pivotal role. Florida's ideas have revitalized urban philosophy, economic philosophy, and the philosophy of cultural diversity, as they are rooted in the creativity of individuals and creative professions. His concepts have increasingly resonated with the elite, who constitute the essence of the creative city, surrounded by economic innovations and a skilled workforce.

The formation of the creative class as a core of the creative city is associated with the utilization of three indicators:

1. creative education;
2. self-expression;

Cities that exemplify high levels of creativity and design include innovation leaders such as Finland, Sweden, Germany, and Denmark.

Key questions in measuring urban indicators pertain to the nature of the available data:

1. the relative importance of subjective and objective, quantitative and qualitative indicators;
2. comparisons of data across different cities;
3. the proportion and degree of the measurable attribute;
4. the specificity of the local context;
5. the assessment of the data.

In defining an attractive creative city, the following criteria emerge:

1. a distinctive place and cozy harbor;
2. a space for connection and collaboration;
3. a hub of opportunities;
4. a center for learning;
5. a source of inspiration;
6. a place that considers human values in any significant initiative undertaken.

Consequently, Western cities, particularly in Europe and North America, have shifted their focus from industrial production towards the creation of knowledge-intensive products and services that rely on information and the availability of skilled workers. The creative city has, in many respects, transformed into a business project, often lowering its creative standards within an industrial context.

The formation of the creative class as a nucleus of the creative city is intertwined with the strength of culture, the dilemmas of cultural diversity, coworking centers as hubs for the development of information and communication technologies, and digital technologies. The idea of the creative city is associated with the concepts of the digital city, wherein digital technologies prevail, and everyone is connected to information and groundbreaking digital technologies.

The term "digital city" first emerged in 1996 when the EU launched a four-year project titled "European Digital Cities," supporting the digital city initiative aimed at implementing new, economically and socially sustainable technologies to serve local communities. Another significant idea is that of the "smart city," which fundamentally applies high-tech digital technologies for effective urban management, particularly considering big data and sensors.

The formation of the creative class as a core of the creative city is linked to terms such as "knowledge-intensive city," "learning city," "intelligent city," "information city," "digital city," "smart city," "green city," and "people-oriented city," all of which are deeply influenced by imagination, resourcefulness, innovation, creativity, and artistic expression.

To comprehend the philosophy of the creative city, one must thoroughly examine the city itself and the essence of creativity, including their dynamic thinking, potentials, and risks. A creative city exists as a singular, living organism—an inseparable unity of various fields of activity. It comprises a community of people—society, an economic structure—economy, an environment—physical infrastructure, and a natural setting—ecosystem. All components of the creative city result from creative management that is open to artistic possibilities. The potential of a creative city should consider historical, social, ecological, and political experiences. Creative thinking focuses on the interconnections among these diverse spheres. The appropriate combination of professionals within the creative city—brokers, entrepreneurs, consumers, tourists, developers, thought leaders, and programmers—creates the resonance of the city.

Cities such as Melbourne, Amsterdam, Berlin, Singapore, Shanghai, London, Hong Kong, Osaka, and Toronto, which have effective creative strategies, exemplify this dynamic. Increasingly, such waves are reaching second- and third-tier cities. Creativity is urgently needed in declining cities, as well as in small and medium-sized towns that must capitalize on their advantages, which are rooted in inclusive, safe, sustainable, and resilient urban development strategies.

At the heart of the creative city lie cultural innovations that initiate a convergent process of sorting, generating, and testing information, leading to the successful implementation of creative-smart technologies. These innovations are applied across all spheres of urban life, facilitating the successful realization of new ideas, products, processes, and services.

The creativity of a city manifests through novel ideas that endeavor to create groundbreaking digital technologies while addressing the interests of its citizens. These ideas should be new, sought after, and beneficial, embodying civic values. A creative city must be structured in such a way that it fosters the preservation of its ecology and nurtures a creative environment or ecosystem—one that cultivates conditions for individuals to act creatively and effectively, where cultural management operates successfully.

One of the functions of a creative city as a driver of the digital society is cultural mapping and planning, tools that can be employed to shape urban strategies and systematize the direction of activities and the organization of the cultural potential of local communities. Cultural mapping aids in forming an overview and synthesis of elements related to the opportunities and circumstances surrounding the development of creativity within the city. Patrick Geddes (1854—1932) was an innovative pioneer in urban planning at the dawn of the 20th century. In his works, models and plans for cities became unifying elements, structuring the city culturally and making it effective for its citizens by delving into the intricate details of urban development.

Geddes’s work, "Cities in Evolution" (1915), anticipated solutions to challenges regarding complexity, the forms of cities, and their design. In 1980, Wolfgang von Eckhardt, in "Art and Urban Planning," stated that the term “the art of the city” encompasses far broader meanings than mere painting or music; it includes “the art of doing something of quality.” Effective cultural planning engaged various forms of art in the development of the "creative city":

1. The art of urban design;
2. The art of garnering public support;
3. The art of transportation planning;
4. The art of forging partnerships between the public sector, government, and private entities;
5. Ensuring a fair distribution of economic, social, and cultural resources.

The UNESCO Creative Cities network, established in 2004 with 1,800 participants, aims to celebrate contemporary expressions of creativity focused on fields such as literature, music, design, cinema, craftsmanship, folk art, gastronomy, and media arts. Public debates regarding the “creative city” in Western society have centered on the development of a full spectrum of cultural activities, which, according to experts, require subsidization and investment in projects.

In the context of analyzing the challenges of the creative city as a factor in the development of the digital society, we emphasize the evolution of cultural resources within the “smart city,” representing a complex social and cultural phenomenon. At their core lies the development of a new type of cultural thinking, among which scholars identify several types:

1. Holistic - flexible, lateral, collaborative, focused on connections and interdisciplinarity;
2. Innovative - original and experimental, oriented toward innovation;
3. Critical - inquisitive and curious;
4. Human-centered - humanistic and undetermined;
5. Cultural - aimed at cultivating cultural resources;
6. Open - non-instrumental and adapted to the surrounding environment.

Cultural planning in the city is grounded in the idea of cultural resources and a holistic approach focused on innovation, creativity, and digitalization. David Yankel, one of the organizers of the first conference dedicated to the creative city, which emphasized art, noted that creative planning is rooted in the idea of cultural resources and a holistic perspective. In 1980, Wolfgang von Eckhardt also remarked that art signifies doing something of quality, creatively and innovatively.

The conceptualization of the creative city as a factor in the development of the digital society evolves within the context of categories such as "smart city," innovation, creativity, and cultural planning.

Creativity, Innovation, and Creativity as Factors in the Development of the Digital City

At the foundation of the digital city's development are programs of creativity, innovation, and digitalization, which are interrelated and influence the city, wherein an effective and viable ecosystem and digital system must be established. Innovative thinking, as a driver for the implementation and realization of the functions of the “creative city,” encompasses the use of big data, an Agile approach, and a systemic perspective.

We propose that the expanded conditions for shaping the city's cultural space—namely, the creative climate and cultural potential—determine the city's capacity for innovation, which transforms into breakthrough digital technologies that serve as attributes of the creative city. These are referred to as “total innovations” or “hidden innovations” aimed at developing digital competencies.

The combination of creativity, innovation, and artistry contributes to the transformation of the creative city into a smart city grounded in digitalization. This requires that internal and external resources serve to generate new ideas, facilitating the further realization of their functions and being implemented as applied digital innovations, while simultaneously developing the cultural and creative context of the digital society. This defines the upper echelon of creativity, which transforms into continuous digitalization achievable by the city through the integration of inventions and innovations into all sectors.

As a result of this implementation, the city develops a cluster of digital activity, fostering firms, coworking centers, revitalizing civic life, and enhancing its communicative components. All of this impacts the innovative digital network and its ecosystem, as well as the operations of governmental institutions, which are prerequisites for establishing a digital city underpinned by an intelligent urban environment. It is worth noting that new concepts—such as innovative ideas, processes, social creative energy, models, technologies, platforms, and networks—are proliferating and being cultivated within the system of the creative city. Thus, it is essential to develop digitalization functions to continually support this creative ecology.

The primary trend in the development and enhancement of the creative city is the creative economy, built upon generating income from ideas that can augment the added value for any business, media, graphic design, or specific art form.

The quality of design in every innovation accumulates as an expression of both creativity and novelty within a given process, as innovations within a creative city foster competitive advantages in the new economy—specifically the digital economy.

A second trend in the evolution of new, knowledge-intensive manufacturing, particularly concerning innovations in cities, is the emergence of co-creation processes, wherein users and their creativity participate in product development. The further refinement of this trend has been facilitated by the advancement of new information and computing platforms, notably in connection with the implementation of Web 3.0 and Web 4.0, which have been further enhanced by the interactive features of the digital realm, a shift accelerated by the conditions of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The economy, society, and culture of the creative city have begun to evolve, leading to the emergence of new needs and functions, determined by the development of new digital technologies.

Thus, creativity, innovativeness, and artistic expression, as driving forces of digital society, have contributed to the enhancement of breakthrough digital technologies in the creative city and enabled the emergence of the "sharing economy" in areas such as bicycles, cars, apartments, and clothing. Trust has become the currency of this "new economy."

As individuals navigate life and action in a digital world that prompts the creation of smart cities, new imperatives of quality emerge, including the added value of product design, the necessity for continuous innovation, and the quest for new forms of creativity. Digital technologies and platforms serve as instruments of competition and allure for creative cities, forming the foundation for successful urban or regional organizations, with the ultimate goal of transforming potential into the genetic digital code of the city. However, a pressing danger today is that technologies control people, rather than the other way around—where people control technology.

The breakthrough digital technologies of the creative city, capable of evolving into a smart city, bolster the development of a creative economy grounded in the use of creativity and culture, which significantly contributes to employment. Creativity clusters in specific locales: quarters, districts, university campuses, tech hubs, entire cities. The primary characteristics of a successful creative quarter within a smart city relate to both material and social infrastructure; they include spaces linked to a range of innovative ideas that can provoke substantial shifts in thinking and innovation.

Moreover, it is essential to enable the presence of a complete chain of digital production and distribution of goods—from idea generation and education to production and consumption. However, incentivizing innovation must be balanced with an awareness of local traditions, as well as ensuring the existence of a vibrant flow of alternative activities rooted in creative technologies. Examples of some creative cities illustrate this development: Shanghai spares no investment in the fields of creativity and design, resulting in over 200 creative hubs and the flourishing of the M-50 as an artistic quarter, revitalized in the area of an old factory.

In the early 2000s, the cities of Yokohama and Kanazawa devised a comprehensive creative urban strategy that, while focused on the sector of the contemporary creative economy, also acknowledged the development of craftsmanship, highlighting the exceptional skills of the city’s inhabitants. The European Commission has concentrated on the creative economy, particularly after a 2006 study on the development of the “Cultural Economy in Europe” model, which, for the first time at the EU level, assessed the economic and social significance of the cultural sector in the creative city.

Among the international institutions engaging in this area is the Inter-American Development Bank, which in 2013 supported the development program of the "orange economy," whose limitless possibilities have now begun to unfold in Colombia. In 2019, the World Bank and UNESCO aligned on a document regarding a joint program entitled “Culture in Urban Reconstruction and Recovery,” which argues that rapid urbanization and economic crises necessitate a different approach to urban development, where culture plays a central role and creativity, innovativeness, and artistic expression act as key factors in the development of digital society.

Directions for the Development of Digital Technologies in Creative Smart Cities
The creativity of the individual and the organization of a creative smart city are distinct entities, although the fundamental principles of their emergence are similar. A creative individual possesses the capacity to forge connections, to transcend conventional boundaries in the pursuit of ideas, and, guided by their foresight, to actualize energy and the sense of a final objective. The main task of creative organizations is to anticipate complexities and introduce a different dynamic, placing value on creative individuals and mixed teams composed of people with diverse cultural backgrounds and perspectives.

To foster the development of digital technologies within a creative smart city, it is crucial to balance several elements:

1. Internal collaboration and the utilization of external competition to advance products.
2. Cultivation of an open, exploratory, and entrepreneurial spirit to maximize each individual's potential.
3. Development of ambitious creative spaces that facilitate effective communication and personal identification. In this process, trust among individuals and within organizational parts is paramount, serving as the pathway to greater, sustainable organizational achievements.

The value of the creative ethos and the trust inherent in a creative organization is immeasurable. Various types of organizations exist, each differing in their criteria for effectiveness and levels of creativity:

1. There are organizations driven by profit; however, solely pursuing profit is a losing strategy.
2. Creative organizations endeavor to improve the world and the cities of the planet.

Some strive to balance their activities between social issues and economic profitability. As we ascend to the complexities of a creative city, the information relevant to the creative process expands exponentially, integrating various organizations with diverse cultures, objectives, attitudes, interests, and codes of conduct. Organizations may move in opposite directions, wielding varying degrees of influence, power, and resources. Aligning the forces of organizations within the contexts of the public and private sectors is a foundational task today, as the public sector often appears more powerful, while the private sector seems fragmented and dispersed.

One of the avenues for the development of a creatively intelligent city is the necessity to establish partnerships among diverse groups when it becomes essential to align the direction of the city's work or to clarify the principles that should guide progress. The potential for creativity within a city is defined by its contextual settings, particularly the critical mass of creativity and innovation, assessed through both quantitative and qualitative metrics. Cities like Berlin and other global metropolises—perhaps around 25 in total—exert a magnetic pull on skilled professionals and resources.

For these cities, achieving a critical mass is paramount for realizing specific creative objectives. Within them lie strategic locations and hubs that directly stimulate, regulate, and captivate a multitude of activities, focusing attention on innovative directions aligned with global trends in economic, political, and cultural domains. Here, a critical mass of change is generated, aimed at clustering high-level research institutions, strategic high-command establishments, and major cultural institutions within the forefront capitals of the world. They possess a particularly compelling allure for cultural creativity and artists.

Thus, the opportunities for personal networking provide a boost to startup culture, within the context of which an ecosystem of interconnected companies of various sizes emerges, ranging from large to small design firms, alongside a vast array of specialized artisanal enterprises. Major cities consolidate resources, enhance cultural, political, and economic infrastructure, and develop trade and creative potential.

At the foundation of the digital technology development trajectories of creatively intelligent cities lies creativity itself, which requires a material and organizational environment, attuned management ethos, and supportive systems that encourage the engagement of all societal strata. Attributes such as inventiveness, strategic flexibility, sensitivity, rich imagination, resilience, and sustainability are highly valued for advancing the economy of co-creation, as well as the creative and green economy.

Management of the Creative City in the Context of Cultural Resource Development

In the framework of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the cultural resources of a smart city play a vital role. These include cultural mapping, cultural planning, and cultural literacy. The establishment of creative quarters in large cities has gained traction, involving artists in the implementation of creative ideas aimed at fostering cultural resources and enhancing the cultural functions of the creative city.

The management of a creative city encompasses:

1. Administration of cultural affairs;
2. Promotion of cultural thinking and the resulting cultural approach, grounded in axiological values.

The governance of the cultural sphere in a “smart city” includes several functions:

1. Planning for culture;
2. Planning for the arts;
3. Planning buildings, programs, and events;
4. Encouraging artists.

At the core of managing the cultural sphere of a creative city lies the development of organizational culture, which entails applying cultural knowledge, insider processes, and utilizing the cultural potential of individuals capable of transforming the developmental trajectory of both the organization and the city.

Cultural management has been a cornerstone of the development of creative cities since the early 1980s, appealing to the very essence of life’s structure, encompassing human values, beliefs, ideas, activities, tastes, and sentiments. Cultural values, as the foundation for the development of a creative city, must serve daily, diverse, and exceptional functions in shaping the culture of existence for individuals, organizations, and nations to keep cities vibrant, dynamic, and adaptable to constant change.

Evaluating these values has become increasingly complex, particularly as connections between local identity, art, the expansion of cultural spheres, and the city have been established, encompassing a comprehensive array of cultural resources. Economic development programs have also proven inadequate and ineffective, given the broad spectrum of issues surrounding the cultural resources of a creative city; thus, the formation of a cultural management paradigm for the city or organization has become essential.

Moreover, the social and cultural values of the cultural resources of a creative city have emerged as a central element of comprehensive regeneration and the reconstruction of the cultural sphere. Organizational leaders have begun to recognize that within the cultural sphere lie hidden competitive advantages of the creative city, as cultural issues have come to the forefront, multiplying the functions of local cultural policies.

Cultural characteristics now delineate the future opportunities of the creative city, which can expand the prospects of the smart city by enhancing the influence of digital technologies on the development of cultural resources, shaping the phenomena of the creatively intelligent city, and impacting community activities.

Cultural resources of the city are its raw materials, representing local cultural traditions, identity, and the culture of organizations and individuals. Creativity is a method of exploiting the city’s resources and the possibility of their enhancement and adaptation to specific conditions in the context of culturally defined prospects, reflecting the geographical positioning of the city or a specific territorial community. Organizational leaders, utilizing cultural management, must identify, manage, and exploit these resources through cultural planning. Cities have begun to focus on their unique cultural characteristics, adapting their engineering and scientific heritage to the production of high-tech cultural products and digital technologies.

As the cultural resources of the community are interwoven with the creativity, skills, and talents of the populace, they provide the function of cultural management, which is determined by the managerial sphere of developing the cultural policies of the city or community and forming the relevant competencies among citizens. Cultural resources include not only buildings but also symbols, events, and a diverse field of local cultural products and services.

Urban cultural resources encompass the historical and artistic heritage of architecture, landscapes, and other monuments, the boundaries of which can reveal pathways for enhancing the efficacy of new creative technologies. These resources also include local historical traditions of public life, festivals, rituals, hobbies, pastimes, and amateur cultural studios. Indeed, resources such as language, food, cuisine, entertainment, clothing, and the role of art and subcultures have served as vital factors, akin to intellectual traditions or specialized fields of knowledge, which have often been undervalued.

Thus, today it is essential to shift the focus of creativity and expand it into the realm of desirable innovations in private companies, in creative business processes, and to integrate innovations into the public sector, such as healthcare or social services, or new forms of logistics delivery.

The crux of the matter is that these technological creative innovations must be directed toward the needs of citizens, making the economy of shared resources genuinely communal and fostering the establishment of a socially oriented business community with a broad impact, while also contributing to the search for real solutions to address the most challenging creative problems of the city.

The capacity to effectively harness the cultural resources of a city through the utilization of digital technologies would contribute significantly to the emergence of a digital city. Thus, it is imperative to cultivate cities that are not mere mechanisms or dormitory districts, but rather vibrant cultural organisms that thrive within a distinct landscape. To achieve this, one must leverage the rich cultural resources available, putting them to the service of humanity, while reformatting the city’s intellectual infrastructure to enhance its creativity and allure.

Today, our world is predominantly urban, with cities expanding at a frenetic pace—approximately 1.5 million people relocate to urban areas each week. This rapid growth poses substantial threats to urban stability, particularly in the form of poverty and inequality. Currently, the primary engine driving the development of a creative city is its ability to retain and attract ambitious, creative individuals. In creative cities, myriad opportunities abound for personal fulfillment, allowing diverse populations to feel equally at home; each part of the city should develop as a unique world of magnetic attraction.

A city that takes pride in its past strides confidently into a future imbued with its own soul, an unmistakable code, and a mental culture, transforming itself into a laboratory for solving the creative challenges it faces. The creative city serves as a crucial factor in the advancement of a digital society, aiming to address the complexities of urban existence as a multifaceted social, economic, and cultural phenomenon in the digital era of the 21st century.

At the heart of the "creative city" concept lies innovation, creativity, and intellect—foundational elements essential for the application of digital technologies, which facilitate a myriad of innovations within the digital city framework. These developments occur within the context of categories such as "smart cities," innovation, creativity, and cultural planning, enabling a radical reassessment of the mission, functions, legitimacy, and operational tools of the creative city.

The method of strategic planning empowers individuals to think creatively and unconventionally, enhancing the city's viability, comfort, and development, guided by human imagination and talent. An analysis of the creative city requires a comprehensive strategy that extends far beyond architecture and design, comparable in complexity and scale to urban genetic engineering.

Moreover, contemporary challenges have accelerated the evolution of the digital realm, with digital tools and their immense potential reshaping cities, society, public life, modes of communication and interaction, the economy, and cultural institutions. We find ourselves amid global transformations encompassing legal, political, and economic realms, where the infrastructure of the digital city—rooted in information and communication technologies—must be revitalized. Cities ought to reclaim their leadership role as smart cities, reawakening their intellectual and creative resources, and restoring their unique cultures. To achieve this, leaders and organizations must emerge, crafting plans for transformation or trajectories for developmental strategies.

Realizing these goals necessitates leaders, a team of like-minded individuals, connections with the community, and the establishment of enduring ties with the public sector, commercial entities, educational institutions, and authorities. Such partnerships foster resilience and facilitate the creation of a transformative plan that allows the city to become creative, re-evaluating its potential and engaging robust social media and interactive platforms in the process.

Thus, in times of change, every city must pose the question: "What is the role and purpose of my city?" The inquiry surrounding the creative urban space encompasses a triad: 1) creativity; 2) culture; 3) exploration of urban transformation issues. Only by understanding the history, culture, DNA, and assets of a city can one accurately assess its potential. Promoting sustainable development goals remains a pressing concern for cities; this endeavor requires creating favorable economic conditions and a collective imagination among urban dwellers to unearth hidden resources, foster new thinking and worldviews, and integrate a culture of creativity that generates diverse options and ideas.

Urban creativity necessitates the realization of goals, purposes, and ethical frameworks to enhance its mission’s sustainability, which, in turn, demands that authorities act socially responsibly towards their citizens, embracing a human-centered worldview. Consequently, a distinct ethos must be cultivated within the city, rich in innovations, technologies, and creativity.

The principle of creativity unifies all progressive ideas, delineating perspectives while deepening the understanding of cultural dynamics and drivers, altering the city's essence and the pathways it traverses in shaping its space. The concept of civic creativity becomes critically important, representing the capacity to generate ideas for enhancing urban life, utilizing opportunities to reshape the image and lifestyle, and reevaluating values to define the mindset of city inhabitants. The ultimate objective of creativity is to create an urban space where anthropological, psychological, technological, and economic knowledge converge.

Creativity must evolve into a flexible, multifaceted resource capable of influencing the city’s culture, which will subsequently transform into innovations. To this end, design, management, and digitalization must be employed to modify urban spaces effectively. The cultural resources of the city serve as its raw materials, embodying its values and cultural dispositions, integral to the concept of "urban cultural planning." A creative economy should flourish in the city, incorporating ideas such as the city of science, the city of innovation, the green city, the smart city, and the city of culture.

A creative city encompasses economic potential, market prospects, infrastructure, human resources, providers of know-how, quality of life, logistics, sites, identity, and community image, as well as business culture, knowledge, and technologies. Urban potential must be conceived as a gravitational concept that integrates assessments of infrastructural and social factors with economic, social, cultural, and environmental perspectives. This gravitational force examines the city from both external and internal viewpoints through the lenses of perception and computational factors.