Can Adelaide become a creative hub?
In this guest post, Jeremy Ervine argues why Adelaide can become a world-class creative hub like San Francisco, New York or Paris.
If you were asked to pick the most ‘creative’ cities in the world, where would you name? San Francisco? New York? Paris? Maybe Sydney? Chances are you wouldn’t pick the mid-west American town of Omaha, Nebraska. Omaha has always been a bit of a tired town. Its livelihood has been centred on business, with fur trading, stockyards and railroads. For decades young people have picked up left in search of bigger, more ‘creative’ cities. It’s a story that’s close to home.
Adelaide has long suffered from a ‘brain drain’, particularly in the creative industries. If you quiz any young creative person in Adelaide you’ll probably hear about their eventual plans to head east. We’ve resigned to the fact that the most creative among us will probably leave in search of the flashing lights of Australia’s bigger cities. We don’t even think about coaxing outsiders here.
Back in Omaha things have changed dramatically. It all started eight years ago when a couple of young, ambitious entrepreneurs chose to stick around, bucking the trend set by their peers. They saw something in Omaha that others didn’t and set out to uncover the creative potential of their city. They were a part of a remarkable wave that swept the town at the turn of the centaury. Omaha began to be known for its creativity. Talented artists started emerging, the work of photographers began to be showcased across the US, and local bands hit the big time. Creative people started moving back from San Francisco and New York. Today, countless young architects, web designers, photographers and advertising people now call Omaha home.
Saddle Creek Records did an amazing job in turning Omaha around. Good luck with doing the same in Raderlaide
I have a theory that truly creative people,have an almost morbid fear of boredom. Which explains why they’re so driven to constantly entertain themselves by hyping the dull reality they find around them. It explains why they so often hail from boring places with crap weather. And why they flee to frantic places like New York. Adelaide’s way too arty to spawn this breed. If ever there was a town to fit the bill, it would have to be Canberra – Fishwick to be more precise.
Hmmm, anythings possible in the USA, they have a population of 300m+.
This is a vastly different market. Comparisons are irrelevant, if not silly. This is not America.
I appreciate the intention behind this article, but if you’re speaking about a desire to convert Adelaide into a creative hub, wouldn’t it be an idea to mention those individuals who are already striving to make this happen? Renew Adelaide; the Format collective; the teams behind Five Thousand and Collect magazine; not to mention larger organisations like Fringe Benefits and individual people like gallery owner Josh Fanning – all proud Adelaidians who’ve decided to stay put and work hard to turn their city into a cultural hub to rival the bigger destinations.
It’s not the number of people that matters…
It’s an interesting question.
In America they seem to have a different approach to the advertising business. It’s ok for an office out of Colorado or Portland to have a client in New York, sometimes looked after by a small ‘service office’ but mostly not.
Flights are cheap, and it’s just the way they do business.
In Australia, a Sydney based agency who gets a client in Melbourne has to open up a dedicated office based in Melbourne – look at BWM or BMF.
Problem with Adelaide? No clients, no money. No money, no big shots.
As I was born there I feel qualified to say it’s also an insular, cliquey big country town that doesn’t really welcome people outside their private school club, even if they went to a far more exclusive school elsewhere – not the kind of environment that supports a steady influx of new people.
In New Zealand, its world class reputation has come from hiring world class ex-pats. There is a lot of homegrown talent emerging now, but if you look at all the big names – Talbot, O’Sullivan, Worthington – all ex-pats.
Plus they have fantastic clients, the CD has the ability to recommend firing and hiring of suits, and most suits (at good places) have to have won awards as well. Different culture. However, due to the size of New Zealand, the majority of stuff that has picked up at AWARD shows has been scam until relatively recently – that comes down to budget.
So to make this happen, first you need clients. With money.
Secondly you need clients who are prepared to have an office several hours flight away.
Thirdly you need good creatives willing to uproot and live in a fairly lonely city.
And last but most importantly, you need the ability to make a difference at the big award shows consistently, year after year like Auckland, Portland, Colorado and Sydney and Melbourne do. Brisbane killed it a few years back but failed to attract decent creatives on the back of their win.
I do wish you all the best, it would be great to see it happen.
Generalising,
You’re right. The US does have a culture of hiring agencies from ‘outskirt’ cities. And you’re right about no clients and no money.
But I work with Jeremy for an agency where 70% of it’s billings are from interstate or overseas. Which suggests there are clients who see the benefit of working with people from a less pressured environment.
You’re also right about no big shots. I think Jeremy’s right when he says that really talented people (like you, perhaps) bail on Adelaide. It shows in the long run.
New Zealand may not have the big budgets, but they certainly have the ideas. I think it highlights that there’s something in the attitude and atmosphere that remains unhindered by limitations.
“Can Adelaide become a creative hub?”
No.
(Never ask a question in a headline that can be answered with one word.)
Jacquie – some great Adelaide-pride there, but I’m an Adelaidian and I’ve never heard of most of the people or organizations you named. Obviously not high profile movers and shakers nationally. I wonder if that actually proves the point of this article. There might be potential, but I don’t know if there are many people making a significant national impact from Adelaide now.
Hi there,
No where in Australia could be classed as “creative”. Just take a look at the TV ads–it’s like going back in time 30 years. It’s astonishing that a) someone came up with it and b) someone actually bought it.
NZ produces better work on smaller budgets:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIYvD9DI1ZA
New York, San Fran, LA and NZ.
Coming from someone who runs a creative design studio in Adelaide, I would dearly love for Jeremy’s vision to come to fruition.
However, the biggest hurdle to achieve this is not the creatives themselves but the sad dearth of clientele that see value in creativity. It’s great to have clients from outside the state but without a solid foundation of local clients, it becomes very hard to stay afloat.
Adelaide is great for an arts festival here or there, or young designers doing amazing things on a shoestring budget, but until we develop a culture in this city that puts a high value on creative communication at the expense of the DIY ethos of most businesses here, then I’m afraid to say that Adelaide will always be the centre for lacklustre, me-too-ism, creativity.
As a side note, our local design industry has produced some quality studios in Parallax, Mash and Voice to name a few.
Oh, you’re a creative hub – https://staging.mumbrella.com.au/boss-apologises-for-dead-goldfish-67723
A chance to head back home *and keep* my fledgling career? Sign me up!
So… Who’s hiring?
I agree with Adelaide having the right mix of elements for creatives to flourish.
With one notable exception. Opportunity.
At the end of the day, to grow as a creative you need an ever-increasing number of challenges and opportunities. For these to be available, larger clients need to be investing time and money in Adelaide. Sadly this is not the case.
I applaud Fnuky for going and getting their own work, but I fear that for widespread creative retention, the local industry needs to be sustainable.
After all, if the work was there, the creatives would come.
The focus of the question is not quite ‘right’.
— To support a creative hub you need to be an entrepreneurial hub. —
Back the start-ups, the entrepreneurs. Launch and promote innovative start-up funds. Create a city of “flying entrepreneurs” to sell Adelaide when they’re pitching on the global stage, but the creative hub will not happen because of this.
You then need to stabilise the entrepreneurs in the SA market, give them reasons to stay in Adelaide. Innovative ideas will be funded and backed regardless of where they originate – Sydney clients can move their projects to any state.
Don’t just want to be “creative” – be smarter, be entrepreneurs; creative ones if you want.
I was raised in Adelaide and I believe my hometown to be a quietly confident, fashionable and interesting city. Let that play out a bit more and stop talking about hills and wine… it’s getting tired and really stunts the opportunity of what I also believe can become a dynamic, creative city.
PS There is an inordinate number of organisations with names ending in “SA”. What is with that? It’s cringeworthy parochialism and must stop!!!
Still going with fishwick.
I am in Adelaide right now and the answer is definitely no.
On my first day here I left the Hilton and an Asian man tried to touch my bottom. Now I’m cowering up on the 14th floor surviving on cigerettes and freeze-dried coffee granules.
In all seriousness man this is a pretty weird place. It’s kinda like 1997.
Oh for goodness sake, “Help Me 1:57” Didn’t you even read what he wrote?
You’ll be just fine. Now that you’re actually in Adelaide, all you need to do is “build a creative industry, create world-class work and excite people outside of the state.” It’s so obvious the way he said it. Don’t you see? Adelaide is “just the right size….” You can’t argue with that, surely. And, right now, you could actually be part of a “remarkable wave of creativity.” That Asian man who touched your bottom is actually part of the whole creative, thingy, like in New Zealand and Omaha or was it Portland? Anyway, if you could just be more creative from now on that would really help things along.
http://noplain.wordpress.com/2.....strations/
This article covers some of the frustrations of people who do try to ‘stick it out’.
I have been working in London for the last 4 years and most of the time I dont ever meet my clients in person as all work is done via conference calls and those crazy technological devices that we have now days. I freelance and work for some brilliant agencies and have been working with some amazing brands that every one dreams of on their folio. And as I mentioned I have not stepped foot in most of their offices. My clients are in New York, Tokyo, Oslo, Amsterdam you name it. No one cares where you are based just what you have to offer and whether you will pull through with results. So you can be in Adelaide and do the same.
I am an ex-Adelaidian and looking at returning to Australia and hopefully Adelaide (and am in multiple discussions which sort of indicates things are going well). And one reason I am returning is because honestly in my four years away I have not found people with half the talent I experienced in Adelaide. Often I still actually use people I worked with in Adelaide to help on projects because I know I will get good, reliable results and the time difference works in my favour.
I have also worked in Melbourne and yes there is money there and clients but no more talent than any where else.
Opportunity is any where that you make it. I know people in London who complain about not being able to get work and yet I am being chased by people. The difference is I take opportunities, I take risks, I try things. You have to put your self out there. Things dont come to you…well that is a half lie. If you build up your reputation and are good at what you do people will seek you out, they will come to you.
The biggest problem with the general Adelaide community is that it thinks it isnt worthy, it thinks it cant do it. (Possibly we have been told this so long that we believe it, I dont know) To be honest that attitude just leaves more of an opening for those that will take pride and opportunity.
In london there are so many agencies that no one could every name them all. There are so many people that think they are amazing. But as I have said I truly dont think that many are great. Most steal each others ideas. The large agencies do hold the market and they are so sure of themselves that they dont even try now. But the clients are geting wise to this and they are trying the young, small agencies. They dont care where they are, they just want to stop being played by the agencies. Agencies are looking at new ways to spend their money as most have had their budgets slashed. The consumer has changed also so the old school agency way of saying lets put all your money in a TVC just wont work. You need to stretch the creativity and really be out there.
It is all about working smarter. We shouldnt really be focussing on where we are and what we call our selves. You can be any where and achieve anything. I think is it insane to think all the people in the east coast are not hopping on conference calls, skype and planes to win and do their work.
OK so I know my post was excessively long and I will be given grief for it.
But this is a topic that is close to my heart.
We live in a world with technology and means to work from any where we desire. if you are are good at what you do people will not care at all where you come from or where you are when you are doing the work. Adelaide is not on the moon, it has the talent and the capability to any thing it wants…if it wants.