Are Creative Communities of Freelancers Sustainable?

In some cities, freelancers and other self-employed professionals have been clustering in neighborhoods now billed as "creative communities." The areas, and the artistic freelancers working and living in them, are being recognized for their economic contribution to cities; but rising costs may cause freelancers to head for more affordable areas. This is according to recent articles published in The New York Times, and The New York Observer, that reported Brooklyn's 33.2 percent increase of "self-employed creatives" compared to only a 6.5 percent increase for Manhattan, for the same time period. Even so, Brooklyn noted that freelancers clustering in particular neighborhoods are now leaving for other locations because of the lack of affordable housing and office space. Does it really matter?

At first glance, the discussion seems important only to places like Manhattan and Brooklyn; but other regions of the country could take note. For example, Brooklyn economists state that these freelance communities contributed over $504 million in taxable revenues in 2005. Other cities might enjoy benefitting from taxable revenue generated by clusters of self-employed working professionals, especially in a time when traditional businesses are finding it hard to grow. Other cities may also appreciate what a creative community can do for a neighborhood that is on the decline - moving in, cleaning it up, and making it a respectable place to live, again.

Of course, for freelancers, this also has a down side. Once a neighborhood becomes more desirable, it may no longer be affordable for the self-employed professional. Housing costs, home business insurance, health insurance, and other necessities - the costs add up for the self-employed. Organizations such as the Freelancers Union and the Center for Urban Development have recently discussed not only the impact freelancers have on a community, but the need to keep affordable work and living spaces available in order to attract and keep these creative communities of workers. Let's hope this becomes a topic of conversation in other cities across the U.S.

Do you live in a creative community? If not, would the idea appeal to you? Post a comment and tell us your story.