Author(s):
Chris Brennan-Horley* - University of Wollongong
Abstract:
This paper is about a new mix of methods for mapping the dynamics of creative industries in small places. It is based on research carried out in Darwin, a small city in Australia's tropical north. Orthodox mapping techniques that rely on quantitative data, such as census counts and business statistics were not applicable due to Darwin's small size and its unique mix of demographic, historical and urban planning features. Moreover, Darwin's creative industries rely heavily on a hidden geography of casualised and unpaid labour, and a mix of creative activities that take in a broad sweep of vernacular creative expressions. These workers are either invisible or disregarded in official statistics and conventional measures of the creative workforce.
Instead, a mix of qualitative interviews, mental maps and geographic information systems (GIS) were combined to answer questions about how Darwin's creative practitioners negotiate their city. Revealed by this method is a more nuanced creative geography that indicates the fluid and varied nature of everyday creative practices.
In a sense, results from this research go against the norm of creative industry policies developed in large cities, which stress the importance of inner city creative milieus, of dense creative clusters and creative precincts. Instead, creativity in Darwin displays an inherently suburban geography, with great importance placed on the natural environment as a vital component of its creative life. Furthermore, the use of GIS as a collation and visualisation tool has aided this research project in conveying these messages to policy makers and the public.
