Events

Richard Florida, the renowned urbanist who’s spent the past year studying Philadelphia as part of a yearlong fellowship sponsored by Drexel, Jefferson, and the University City Science Center, released his culminating report on Philly and its “new urban crisis” on Thursday evening. For Florida, whom we recently profiled, the report and the entire philosophy underpinning it represent a chance at redemption.

See, Florida has been pilloried within his own field of late for having an elites-centric thought process that critics say helped propel rising income inequality and housing prices. And it turns out those are two of the same symptoms he’s now trying to cure in Philadelphia. Here are four takeaways from Florida’s 41-page report.

The Laguna Beach LGBTQ Heritage & Culture Alliance, along with Visionary Sponsor and real estate investment firm Laguna Beach Company, and Title Sponsor, Bank of America, today announced registration is open for Diversity and The Creative Economy, a symposium featuring international best-selling Author and Urbanist Richard Florida. The symposium will be held on Monday, April 29, 2019 at Montage Laguna Beach from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and will provide a platform for community members, local business, civic, legislative, cultural and educational leaders to discuss how inclusion and creativity can foster economic mobility and prosperity for Orange County. A portion of the event’s proceeds will be donated to Laguna Beach Pride 365, Club Q Laguna at Laguna Beach Seniors and The Blaze Bernstein Memorial Fund.

Venture Café Philadelphia will kick off its first Thursday night gathering on November 29 with prominent urban studies theorist, Richard Florida. The inaugural Venture Café Philadelphia Thursday gathering will take place from 3 – 8 p.m. at the newly opened 3675 Market Street where the University City Science Center is headquartered.

Richard Florida is one of the world’s leading urbanists. He is a researcher and professor, serving as University Professor and Director of Cities at the Martin Prosperity Institute at the University of Toronto, a Distinguished Fellow at New York University’s Schack Institute of Real Estate, and a Visiting Fellow at Florida International University.

If city and civic leaders want an example of how instrumental the private sector can be in the transformation of a city, they can look at billionaire investor Dan Gilbert. Gilbert and his family of companies were highlighted during a Monday afternoon session for CityLab, a three-day conference at the GM Renaissance Center with participants from 156 cities across 27 countries. He sat down for a chat with Richard Florida, co-founder and editor at large of CityLab.com and senior editor of The Atlantic.

Richard Florida presents in Cork, Ireland on the future of cities.

Decades ago, one of the biggest challenges facing cities was the loss of residents brought on by the devastating effects of deindustrialization. As urban residents began flocking to the suburbs in the 1960s and 1970s, cities were confronted with rising levels of poverty, crime, and housing decay. While many of these issues still linger, our modern urban crisis is more extensive and encompassing than its predecessor. As cities continue to benefit from the return of wealthy, talented residents, they now face a number of challenges borne out of their very success. Where cities once benefited from sturdy middle-class neighborhoods, today’s urban areas are up against a disappearing middle class, as well as rampant gentrification and economic and racial segregation.

Ann Arbor SPARK will host Richard Florida, one of the world’s leading public intellectuals on economic competitiveness, demographic trends, and cultural and technological innovation, as the keynote speaker at its annual meeting. Ann Arbor SPARK’s annual meeting, the region’s premier gathering of business and community leaders, will be held on April 24, 2017, at the Eastern Michigan University Student Center in Ypsilanti, Mich.

Far from being a war zone as Donald Trump recently described it, Harrisburg has a substantial creative class and the resources to overcome years of deindustrialization, nationally renowned urban studies expert Richard Florida said.

Noted urbanist and author Richard Florida opened the recent 2016 ULI Florida Summit in Miami by reminding the audience that the creative class and the industries in which it works are the single most important economic drivers in the 21st-century economy. Economic development at the local and state levels can no longer be about enticing companies through special tax breaks or incentives, but about being irresistible to creative, talented people and building neighborhoods where they can simultaneously live, work, dine, drink, play, and experience a high level of interaction with each other. The creative types will be the ones to lure the companies in—or, better yet, start companies of their own, in Florida’s view.

Florida and his Creative Class Group have authored a study on the current state of the economy with Florida International University, which will be released during Thursday’s morning session of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce 2016 Goals Conference, the organization’s annual two-day planning retreat being held at the Hilton Downtown Miami.

FIU and the Creative Class Group (CCG) founded by Richard Florida have joined forces to launch the FIU-Miami Creative City Initiative a project to harness creative and entrepreneurial forces that can help accelerate greater Miami’s transformation into a creative economy. The FIU-Miami Creative City Initiative will engage political business and cultural leaders faculty students alumni and the greater community in a dialogue on how creativity culture and design can drive a regional economy.

Florida International University will work with bestselling author Richard Florida to research and start a discussion to help boost Miami jobs in art, design and other creative fields.

Day two of the 2013 B.C. Energy Conference in Fort St. John wrapped up Wednesday night with a banquet and keynote address by Doctor Richard Florida, a professor and best-selling author. Florida told the crowd of industry leaders and politicians about what he calls the “Creative Class”, and stressed the importance of tapping into the inner creativity of workers.

Our economy is going through the greatest transformation in our history — even bigger than during the Industrial Revolution, according to researcher and author Richard Florida at The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce event.

Renowned researcher and urban expert Richard Florida said the Nashville region had one of the nation’s fastest-growing economies during the Great Reset, his term for the economic tumult of the past five years.

Richard Florida speaks at The Creativity Conference in Washington, D.C. in a panel on Invention, Innovation, Competitiveness – Creative Industries and the New American Economy alongside President Bill Clinton.

Richard Florida, author of “The Rise of the Creative Class” discussed the city’s Downtown-area growth and urged regional transit development in a speech at the Detroit Policy Conference.

Atlantic magazine and Richard Florida, the author, urban affairs expert and a part-time South Florida resident, announced they are bringing a one-day conference called Start-up City: Miami to Miami Beach on Feb. 13 to explore how to build a tech hub here, building on the area’s success with the arts and urbanization.

On Friday, November 9, Richard Florida, best-selling author of The Rise of the Creative Class, which was recently released in a newly revised and expanded 10th-anniversary edition; The Great Reset; and Who’s Your City?, will deliver his first major address at the NYU School of Continuing and Professional Studies (NYU-SCPS), to launch a major new research initiative on the future of the New York economy.

Richard Florida named a senior visiting fellow for the Urban Land Institute (ULI). The institute, with nearly 30,000 members worldwide, is a nonprofit education and research institute dedicated to responsible land use and the creation of thriving communities around the globe. As a ULI senior visiting fellow, Florida will speak at four of the institute’s major meetings, collaborate with ULI members and staff, and contribute content and thought leadership to ignite dialogue and discussion on city building. His first presentation in this role was on Wednesday, May 30, at ULI Europe’s “Creating a Legacy” real estate trends conference in London, which explored the long-term investment and development opportunities related to the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.

Richard Florida speaks at the Urban Land Institute (ULI) real estate conference on the opportunities and legacies of global events. The conference focused on the London Olympics as a case study for the role of real estate and infrastructure within the post-Games landscape.

Richard Florida has been named a senior visiting fellow for the Urban Land Institute (ULI).

New Jersey’s economic growth strategy should hone in on strategies that address the desires of people, and the needs of business, all within the framework of creating great places.
New Jersey has a lot to learn from thought leaders such as Richard Florida, creator of the Creative Capital Theory of economic growth.

The gathering, “Stronger Together: An Interactive Conversation About Our Region,” brought together experts from the public and private sectors, along with
educators, journalists and artists, to discuss and occasionally debate issues of growth and economic development in the Dallas Fort-Worth area.

Discussion of the economic strengths and weaknesses of North Texas at the Stronger Together conference with Richard Florida in conjunction with University of Texas at Arlington and the Dallas Morning News.

Richard Florida speaks at Preview Las Vegas for the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, February 2012.

Richard Florida speaks at Preview Las Vegas event for the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce.

Richard Florida brings his three Ts to Preview 2012 in Las Vegas, February 9, 2012.

Florida will be a featured speaker at the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce’s annual economic forum, Preview, on Feb. 9 at the Thomas and Mack Center.

Investment in the arts and our own creativity can help navigate the road back to prosperity, renowned economist Richard Florida told attendees of the inaugural Arts Exposed conference at Seneca College in Markham.

At the Leadership Austin conference author Richard Florida says Austin is a good model for how to get through the economic crisis.

Richard Florida and Steven Pedigo join UT Arlington as visiting scholars in the School of Urban and Public Affairs during the next two years.

Economic development expert Richard Florida visits U of T to discuss his two-year research involvement with the School of Urban and Public Affairs.

Richard Florida speaks at a Leadership Austin event Friday, November 12, 2010.

In the years ahead, changes in demographics and consumer behavior will drive new real estate development patterns that reflect a trend toward more urban suburbs, according to industry experts at ULI’s Real Estate Summit at the Spring Council Forum in Boston. Well-known analysts Joel Kotkin, Robert Lang, Richard Florida, and Christopher Leinberger offered different views on what’s ahead, but they all agreed that most of the growth in U.S. urban regions will occur not in downtown cores, but in the suburbs.

Richard Florida, author of The Rise of the Creative Class, told ULI attendees in Boston that human creativity will power the next economic boom, and to succeed, places must meet the needs of the most talented and innovative workers.

Florida, author of The Rise of the Creative Class, talks about that book and his next one, The Great Reset, as keynote speaker for the opening of the Creative Cities Summit at the Lexington Center.

Florida is the keynote speaker at the opening of the Creative Cities Summit in Lexington, a three-day international conference of people focused on economic development and revitalization of their communities.

Richard Florida speaks at the Global Metropolitan Forum of Seoul 2010.

Author Richard Florida to speak at Texas Tech University Presidential Lecture and Performance Series February 5, 2010.

Florida, director of the Martin Prosperity Institute and professor of business and creativity at the University of Toronto, will offer his revolutionary insight to Lubbock’s business leaders and students at Texas Tech.

The Texas Tech Presidential Lecture & Performance Series premiers its spring season this February 2010 with best-selling author Richard Florida.

Richard Florida gave a very compelling presentation in Albany on September 24, 2009 on how the Capitol Region is one of the top “Creative Class” areas.

The Human Capital Institute (HCI), a think tank, professional association and educator in talent management strategies, announced that Dr. Richard Florida, widely regarded as one of the most influential scholars on the shift to the new knowledge economy, will headline HCI’s inaugural National Human Capital Summit, to be held in Chicago April 6-7, 2010.

Dr. Richard Florida is the keynote speaker at The Art of Transition, hosted by the Region of Durham’s economic development and tourism department, Nov. 12, 2009 at the Ajax Convention Centre.

In the last 14 months, the world has witnessed the greatest economic transformation in all of human history, urban thinker Richard Florida told a rapt audience in Burlington November 17, 2009 at an event for the Halton Industry Education Council.

Urban studies guru Richard Florida is the keynote speaker at the Halton Industry Education Council’s 20th anniversary gala today being held at the Burlington Convention Centre November 17, 2009.

Bestselling author and cultural anthropologist Richard Florida speaks at the second annual Marketing Week event November 12, 2009.

Richard Florida speaks for the Ontario Hospital Association in Toronto November 17, 2009 along with other keynote speakers Michael Moore, Newt Gingrich and Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

Richard Florida speaks at the Creative Places + Spaces Conference in Toronto billed as “one of the world’s leading forums on creativity”.

Richard Florida speaks at the third-ever Creative Places + Spaces event in Toronto along with Mayor Miller and Sir Ken Robinson.

Richard Florida to meet Ottawa City Mayor Larry O’Brien’s office October 30, 2009.

The Business Executive interviews Richard Florida, Author, Who’s Your City and Director of the Martin Prosperity Institute, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, will be the keynote speaker at HIEC’s 20th Anniversary event on Nov. 17, 2009.

Florida, who spoke Sept. 25 at the University of Texas at Arlington as the first of the school’s 2009 Maverick Speaker Series, is best known for his concepts of the creative class and the idea of urban regeneration and several books on the subject, including The Rise of the Creative Class, Cities and the Creative Class and his latest, Who’s Your City?

The rise of the creative class and its new type of economic development, and what that means for the Capital Region will be the focus of a presentation at The Palace in Albany, NY.

Richard Florida delivered the keynote address at IT World Canada’s Toronto-based Showcase Ontario event, Sept. 22. The academic and author discussed ideas put forward in his best-selling book The Rise of the Creative Class and his soon-to-be-released (and tentatively titled) The Great Reset.

On Sept. 24, 2009, the best-selling author and pop economist will be at the Palace Theatre in Albany to speak about the concepts in his latest book, “Who’s Your City? – How the Creative Economy is Making the Place Where You Live the Most Important Decision of Your Life.”

Richard Florida, speaking at the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce luncheon, says it will take growing the city’s “creative class” to grow the local economy.

Richard Florida speaks at the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce annual meeting, June 2009.

Richard Florida’s speaking in Naples, Florida as part of Project Innovation, a community-wide project the Economic Development Council of Collier County launched late last year to build an action plan for a better economy.

To help power the local economy, The Economic Development Council of Collier County established Project Innovation, a series of programs which concluded with Richard Florida’s presentation in May 2009.

Richard Florida discusses how creative business decisions will help Canada
withstand the recession at the 11th annual CMA Alberta Accountability Summit
on May 22, 2009, at the TELUS Convention Centre in Calgary.

The best-selling author gave hope to community and business leaders looking to build a new and better economy in Collier County.

Richard Florida speaks to the Economic Development Council of Collier County in Naples. His words have inspired community and business leaders and left them thinking about how to achieve what he calls the three “Ts” for economic growth: technology, talent and tolerance.

Richard Florida visits Naples as part of Project Innovation, a community-wide project the Economic Development Council of Collier County launched to build an action plan for a better economy.

Richard Florida to visit Toronto’s economic development committee for a brainstorming session on ways out of the current global slump.

Florida, author of “The Rise of the Creative Class,” and “Who’s Your City,” urged broadcasters gathered in the Las Vegas Hilton at the annual National Association of Brfoadcasters event to view upheaval in the economy as an opportunity.

Economic Development Council of Collier County’s Project Innovation Program is bringing Richard Florida to headline its “It Pays to be Creative” program in May 2009.

The Agenda with Steve Paikin will be broadcasted from The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) on March 30, as part of TVO’s On the Road tour. Through these tours, TVO’s flagship current affairs program is examining the social impact of the current economic down turn on Ontario communities with such special guests as Richard Florida.

Bestselling author and urban theorist Richard Florida will present the opening keynote at 2009 National Association of Broadcasters’ Show on Monday, April 20 in Las Vegas.

Richard Florida to give opening keynote at National Association of Broadcaster’s conference in Las Vegas this year.

Bestselling author and renowned business leader Richard Florida will present the 2009 National Association of Broadcasters’ Show opening keynote address, sponsored by Accenture, on Monday, April 20 in Las Vegas.

The First World Forum on Talent, which took place in Pamplona (Navarra, Spain) in February, was the chosen venue for the issuing of this Declaration.
Thought leaders such as Richard Florida and Sir Ken Robinson, international speakers from Europe, the United States, India, Latin America, and, representatives of the European Commission, and the OECD, among others, took part in the Forum.