The Sunday Paper Discussion:
“Creative…” It’s not just for Accountants Anymore!
[the image is Willie Davis, David Schankula, and Mayor Newberry from the latest “Mayor’s Night In,” referenced in the discussion below.]
If nobody ever reads a newspaper anymore, you couldn’t have proven it in Lexington on Sunday, June 21.
An op/ed by Mary Beth Sekela ran in the Sunday Herald-Leader that immediately gathered some praise, along with strong criticism from Ace. http://tinyurl.com/n8tawk
A lively discussion on Twitter followed, and excerpts of it are printed below. Generally, speakers will be identified with a Twitter Screen Name or handle (for example, AceWeekly or RobMorris2), but most of the TwitterSpeak has been edited out. You can look them up on Twitter using their screen name (e.g., CM Doug Martin’s twitter screen name is DougMartin10th).
At today’s Ace Online meeting, the general lament about Twitter was that the conversation—while very productive—was all gone now. But it wasn’t. Rob Morris pulled together threads of the discussion by searching anyone who had addressed replies to AceWeekly in the span of the several hour discussion.
This isn’t a research piece; it’s a reprint of a conversation, and when the tone seems cryptic, it’s because of the 140 character limits. Where threads continued beyond 140 characters, they’re typically edited together (and abbreviations are spelled out). It’s disjointed in places, just like real-time conversations often are. Thanks are due to the Mayor’s Chief of Staff, Shaye Rabold, who was working on a Sunday evening, and joined in the conversation (and stuck with it, even when she got quickly tackled by a few participants, on several issues that weren’t even part of the [admittedly informal] Sunday agenda) and Council Member Doug Martin, new to Twitter.
AceWeekly:
Bucking the trend here, but disagree with Mary Beth Sekela’s assertion that Lex will “continue to lack young professionals.” Lex HAS hordes of young professionals, young creatives, young artists—and [Lex has] Leaders who run off to Austin and Madison to ask them “what do young folks want?” (Sorry. Still not over last year’s trip to Austin when CM Julian Beard returned and complained about the “Keep Austin Weird” t-shirts.) And further bucking the trend, just kinda sick of hearing about “The Creative Class.” It’s become trendy lip service, and lost meaning long time back.
ThomMarshall:
Timing is everything, but have personal experience here. Son with 4.0 GPA UK MBA is moving to VA. No prospects in Lex.
AceWeekly:
Totally get that Thom—but would a few more articles about the Creative Class and a couple bands keep him in Lex? Ace DOES want to know what WOULD keep your son in Lex? Think Carson Tate (Morris) made an excellent start opening the discussion (page 5, June 4 Ace).
How many people chatting bout this mystical “creativeClass” have dropped by Collexion? Or Ace’s FrontPorchFriday? Or the opening of WoodlandComputers? Or the GalleryHop stop at Buster’s (collaged last Friday)? Or the Social Innovation Forums in the Distillery District from Nathan Cryder?
Fountaineer:
FrontPorchFriday? //Give us the address already!
dvs:
AceWeekly is on Google Maps http://bit.ly/jKh0s
AceWeekly:
Sorry if anyone has missed Ace’s FrontPorchFriday w/w/w/w: they are first Friday of every month, Ace Front Porch, 185 Jefferson.
wyllie:
I agree about the people we need already being here – I think I said that here http://is.gd/18DQP back in April.
trickydoc:
When I hear ‘creativeclass’ I wanna throw myself off the roof.
jtshelton:
When I hear creative class, I wanna throw Richard Florida off the roof.
Lectric_Amish:
We read the rise of creative class in a class for Dr. Rice, it’s generic term for how to get professionals to move into your city.
bluebelleinbg:
As wife of young prof, friend of many more, know that piece had to be written with blinders on in downtown.
AceWeekly:
Did they READ CarsonTate’s post-Madison Ace Op-Ed (page 5) about what WOULD make him homesick for Lex? Sure, the kid’s only two…
How about not dismissing the “youngfolks” who are here? Who slog down to LFUCG on Tue/Thu? Who showed UP for the sidewalks, and bikes and peds and LexTran?
(No disrespect to TomEblen, but seriously – a tweet that said “NICE TO SEE a PRO tweeting lfucg” at the sidewalks session [June 11]? Enjoyed TomEblen’s Sidewalk Tweets, but he disclosed he tweeted from the sofa. Professor Kakie and AceWeekly were there. With 40 yrs combined experience.)
tomeblen:
Hello from Virginia. For the record, I consider Ace a pro.
AceWeekly:
Thanks TomEblen. It IS a pleasure to read your Tweets—and of course it wasn’t you who said that.
DVS:
Not to mention us amateurs who make the trek and camped out (for a few hours at least).
AceWeekly:
Have they MET Ben Self? Or Clark Case? Or Professor Kakie? Do they know Craig Cammack and Lexington Fairness Alliance? Will they be at the Fairness Awards? Will they buy Actors Guild tix to overcome their LexArts funding cut?
And really?
Thousands of young folks will converge on Lex for WEG?
Really?
THAT’s who’s coming?
Cause that’s NOT what the marketing suggests.
evoque:
WEG bringing young folks to Lex? Only if they’re trustafarians entered into the eventing.
AnnBransom:
Found the thesis that we needed to depart from “horses” but that WEG would be perfect opportunity to reach out to elusive young professionals.
AceWeekly:
Academics are professionals.
Chefs are professionals.
Techpreneurs are professionals.
“Creative” – it’s not just for accountants anymore.
Seems half the people writing about “young professionals” mean anyone downtown under 40 wearing a tie.
Ricetopher:
Professional suggests “professionalism.” David Maister’s principles of professionalism can apply to any endeavour/occupation.
amartindesign:
Whoever wrote that has obviously never been to Geeks Night Out, Awesome Inc., Collexion or SMC Lexington.
ThomMarshall:
Eyes just opened by AceWeekly. Yes, I agree that “hip-hop, country and indie” are NOT what would have kept my son in Lex. He has a slight chance still to be part of a start-up. He is very much the young entrepreneur. But he is likely destined for VA.
carsontate:
AceWeekly gives me hope that, with such challenge + vigilance, Lexington’s leaders could create a city to be homesick for. http://is.gd/C2QE
BlueBelleinBG:
well said! Would add Prof. Artists don’t corner the market on creativity.
SHAYERABOLD:
To afford quality of life we want, city budget needs good, high paying jobs to generate revenue. Mayor calls this the three H’s. “horses, health care and hi tech.” These industries are not land intensive and have jobs for all education and skill levels. But these industries and others want good places to eat, shop and be entertained. Need the arts profs, chefs, and bar owners.
AceWeekly:
Eds & Meds is a cornerstone Ace has been preaching for a long time.
SHAYERABOLD:
We will be succeeding when a sidewalk cafe or bar has the univ prof sitting at a table next to accts/lawyers next to techies, etc
AceWeekly:
Oh it happens at Third Street Stuff already. It happens at FrontPorchFriday. It happened at Elevation’s web launch for Ace on Thursday.
SHAYERABOLD
We are getting close. With BCTC moving to Eastern state, we will have the higher ED triangle with transy and UK and downtown in ctr. Market demand from “eds and meds” will further drive nightlife, restaurants, shops, art venues, etc. Mayor gives of his time liberally and often. Even to those who don’t agree with him. Easy to criticize in 140 chrtrs.
AceWeekly:
Was about to say: Mayor’s Night In was a pleasure. Wish more people took advantage. Can honestly report (and did at the time) Mayor Newberry and Shaye Rabold were very generous with their time. http://twitpic.com/81zfx. They gave us more than a half hour—far more than allotment. Thanks for hopping in ShayeRabold. Really glad to see you here. (Now, can you persuade @LexRama to unprotect his Twitter updates?)
DougMartin10th:
Mayor Newberry and Council fixing probs – pension, sanitary & storm sewers, trails. Much more to come. Need time.
AceWeekly:
True, Mayor inherited much (like storm sewers). He didn’t get those poor girls drowned on Nicholasville Road.
lolliloo:
Reading aceweekly rants and would like to add to it my own personal rant that Lexington DOES have indy dining choices all over town. Have they watched at lexbikepolo? Joined in an Alley Cats race? Do they know about Rakadu & Mecca?
AceWeekly:
Exactly. We eat indie all week every week. And you’re being nice, but did anyone ask IsleofYou about the amazing creative retail?
BlueBelleinBG:
Indie dining in Lex is one of my favorite things. When people ask me where to eat, I always recommend indie 100% of the time
AceWeekly:
MOST Ace Readers (and Ace Writers) eat Indie everyday. Check out how fast the Aces disappear at ThirdSt, at Billy’s, at Good Foods, at Dudley’sS. Insert shameless plug for ChefDaveO’s fine work at Quirk as an example (AceFoodWriter).
bluebelleinbg:
We don’t eat out every day so think it is even more important to eat LOCAL when you do choose to go out, plus they are just better. I would also shamelessly plug Giacamo’s, Alfalfa’s, Dudley’s, Billy’s, .79 Burgers and Shakes (Lex’s best kept secret).
AceWeekly:
No disrespect to MaryBeth—but found the tone of that op/ed more symptomatic of the PROBLEM than a way forward to the Solutions. Found the article a little naive, simplistic, and without respect for Lex’s Institutional Memory.
At 20 yrs, Ace has seen a lot. Take the founding of WRFL(one year older than Ace). Look around, a lot of that founding genius is RIGHT here (Kakie Urch, James Shambhu, Mick Jeffries, Matt Dacey, etc.) And setting aside the logical fallacies of today’s article, “hip-hop, indie, and country” are all, in fact, already available in Lex current music venues.
Ya gotta leave the house if you wanna write op/eds about WhatLexNeeds.
Bluebelleinbg:
I would just like to add that house should also be located in Lexington.
AceWeekly:
Anyone interested in transit should watch the heart-wrenching lfucg sessions on Wheels/LexTran. CM Myers and CM Henson are point persons.
bluebelleinbg:
Witnessed live tweeting/session, they do deserve better. Most specifically accesibility/reliability. Can’t remember Herald writer who rode the bus to time trip and point out how inadequate the service is for those who’ve no other option. Thinking of HeraldLeader article few years back of how it takes hours to make trips on Lextran, not feasible and inexcusable.
Kimmyville:
By request, here’s link to my AceWeekly story on LexTran, Art In Motion http://www.acemagazinelex.com/pdfs/uploads/coverstory070628.pdf
jupiter2012:
Our first real post to our site http://bit.ly/NjafM (expand) is in response to the article Vice Mayor Jim Gray tweeted about his morning.
——
In addition to the LexTran branch, here were two more threads that happened simultaneously—about affordable housing (JTShelton, BUILD, etc.) and another about downtown grocery options (a Good Foods annex at CentrePointe site was suggested and seconded, about six times), but those discussions can wait for longer-form stories in the print edition.
Play us off Tread.
gotreadgo:
I love this from aceweekly. I was a Kroger Produce merchandizer in the 80s, am I the only one who remembers Cos… ? http://blip.fm/~8oajp
