TC Interview with Bethany Betzler

Across the globe, we're seeing that creative cities are attracting youth and those youth are the future economy. What’s interesting in all this, is our idea of a creative city and actually, the role youth play in any city. Take for example Detroit, recently declared bankrupt but quickly becoming one of the most creative and exciting cities in America, and the world for that matter! What’s happening there? Trending City spoke with Bethany Betzler (also on twitter), a catalyst for entrepreneurship and creative industries, doing some amazing work in the Motor City.

What's your background?

I grew up in suburban Detroit in a small community surrounded by lakes, trees and farms, so outdoor time is really important to me. My interests and creative drive has always been rooted in art and creativity. When I was younger I spent all my time drawing and writing fictional stories. As I grew I became really excited by dance and threw myself into that from my teenage years into college and beyond. I studied dance and choreography and eventually began producing performance events, which led me to learn fundraising, marketing, project management, etc. More and more I found myself driven by the process of making something happen, and kind of fell in love with that process more than the choreographing and dancing itself. By 2008, we could all begin to feel the world change, and I became eager to get involved in something that I could participate in on a greater, global scale. I went to grad school to study entrepreneurship and the creative industries and centered my work around how the creative industries impact a city. Now I am fascinated by what is happening in the world economically and I am exploring how we can create new models of self-reliance and financial autonomy by leveraging technology and empowering communities.

What projects are you working on at the moment?

Since I am focusing on how we can help create self-reliance for independent communities, my current projects reflect that. Of course, this is all through a creativity/art/design lens for me. I am working on a project called Artifact Makers Society here in Detroit which celebrates the best of what is being made locally, with an emphasis on pieces that are design-forward and well-crafted. We are emphasizing the intersection of craftsmanship and contemporary design, as opposed to traditional designs that reflect nostalgia and the vintage trend. I am also working on a project in Peru where we are helping a humanitarian organization develop new revenue models that will allow them to focus on their mission and not have to rely on as much unpredictable charitable funding. We are making a video and photo documentary to raise awareness about the organization's existence and raise enough charitable funds to "stop the bleeding" so to speak so that we can then begin investing in the new revenue models.

Can you let us know more about DC3?

Detroit Creative Corridor Center (DC3) was founded in 2010 with the mission of helping to establish Detroit as a global center for creativity and design innovation. We produce the annual Detroit Design Festival, and run a business accelerator for creative sector businesses called Creative Ventures. In general, we serve as a home base for the creative community in Detroit. Our work spans a pretty wide spectrum: everything from hosting economic development discussions with visiting delegations from Algeria, to running our in-house gallery for emerging artists, to planning a monthly happy hour for Detroit's design professionals.

What role does creativity play in our cities?

Creative Mornings Detroit. Image course Bethany Betzler.

If you were to ask me more specifically about the role of the creative industries in our cities, I would say that they are an important economic and cultural asset. The creative industries influence the culture of a city more than any other industry. Creative industry businesses are more likely to locate in a city purely for the experience of being in a city. The creative industries are intimately linked to urban environments and are our city's number one source of exports from the knowledge economy. The world is more likely to know your city by its art, design and entertainment exports than by any other type of intellectual property stemming from it.

What inspires you?

Our planet and its people, their uprisings, and the feeling that comes from stumbling into a place where change is stirring.

Where do you think you'll be in 10 years?

I hope that in 10 years I will be living in Northern Michigan on a little piece of land that I and my family care for in between trips to international places where I will get to continue exploring how we create new models for independence. And I will always be advocating on the behalf of good art and design. Hopefully I will be making some of it again myself as well.

Citizen Libraries: For the Love of Reading

Technological advancements have cast doubt on the longevity of some industries and services. No other piece of public space is as threatened by this change as the public library. However, book lovers around the world are proving that it doesn’t take much to start a library- just a few shelves and some books.

These informal libraries are a frequent meeting place for backpackers across South East Asia. Trending City previously highlighted the use of the iconic phone booth serving as public libraries across the UK and now this movement is prevalent in many North American Cities.

Ourshelves is a lending library located in San Francisco. This library is open to anyone, no matter how little they can pay or where they live. The goal was to provide places where reading material is often hard to find with access to books.

The results are impressive: over 3,000 books have been borrowed and there have been virtually no theft or misplaced books. Ourshelves, plans to expand their network to safe houses, shelters and other underutilized public spaces around the San Francisco Area. As a result, it joins other innovative book lending efforts, such as Little Free Library in demonstrating that a library can be created out of almost anything.

Pop-Up Food Markets: Reinventing Dining Experiences

Many North American cities have embraced pop-up food markets with wide-open arms. Toronto’s Underground Market holds monthly pop-ups at Evergreen Brick Works, a pop-up market emerged underneath New York’s famous High Line and San Diego has just implemented its first food market at the beginning of 2013 on National Avenue.

It bears the question- what is so attractive about pop-up food markets? Is the allure the interesting spaces and locations that these events are held? Is there widespread desire to sample unique food from various restaurants and vendors? Or is it the knowledge that the market may not exist next year, next month or even next week that draws crowds to pop-up markets? Maybe it’s all of the above.

Pop-up markets create a platform for existing and emerging food vendors to showcase their skills to their peers, critics and admirers. In many cases, these events serve as job-interviews for many aspiring chefs. It also provides restaurants with an opportunity to test and obtain feedback on new recipes.

Furthermore, pop-up markets are increasingly attracting foodies from diverging backgrounds. These events provide opportunities for differing social groups to bond over their love for fish tacos. And who knows, maybe bond over other things?

While the economic and social justifications for pop-up markets can be disputed, what is indisputable is the fact that these events are delicious, affordable, fun and here to stay.