Creative Communities Leadership Program

The City of Roanoke's Office of Economic Development is partnering with Richard Florida's Creative Class Group for one year in its Creative Communities Leadership Project. Roanoke is one of three cities the group will be working with this year. The project called for the 30 "Creative Connectors" to create four-sustainable projects around Florida's 4-T model of economic development - technology, talent, tolerance and territory assets - during a two-day workshop held March 30-31. The four groups created CNR2030, Roanoke Yea!, 81 Reasons to Connect and S.T.A.R.

The official landing site of the initiatives created by the groups is www.thecreativeconnectors.com. From that Web site, there are links to each group's Facebook pages and blogs. Individuals are encouraged to participate in one of the four initiatives.

(Disclaimer: The 30 selected individuals created the content and scope of the projects. City of Roanoke staff acts as a resource to the group, but is not involved in the day-to-day planning of the projects. This is an autonomous, community-driven project.)