Art factories & cre8ery: a case study of cultural producers in Winnipeg's Exchange District

Abstract

The creative class, creative economy and creative cities are all heralds of current North American planning directions. My research seeks to understand how the Art Factory, a multi-tenant and multi-purpose artist space, contributes to the lives of artists and the general creative potential of a city. This research is a case study of cre8ery, an art factory located in Winnipeg’s Exchange District, the gentrifying cultural quarter of the city. I interviewed ten artists, exploring how cre8ery affected their social, professional and economic lives. cre8ery serves as a gateway into the art world for emerging artists by providing stability and opportunities to them. In general, Art Factories are centres of cultural entrepreneurship, an activity essential to the health of artists and the city. I also explore the shift of the artist populations in Winnipeg due to gentrification, offering several policy initiatives that would either stem or support this shift.