Crowdsourcing,  in which a group of people perform a task (often for free) usually undertaken by a single professional, seems to be the next big thing in placemaking.  CoolTown Studios is an informative, lively blog devoted to crowdsourcing for creatives – not only artists, writer, filmmakers, etc., but  cultural creatives: the people who, through education, innovation, and a passion for social activism are changing the way we live, which includes, of course, how we experience place.

For example, cultural creatives tend to favor accessible public space like parks and plazas, venues to display/perform art of all kinds,  coffeehouses and spaces that encourage intellectual discourse and/or offer a gathering place for activists and changemakers…it’s easy to see the way the trend goes.  A lot of the people who live in new urban neighborhoods like I’On and Mixson could probably be classified as cultural creatives – it’s all about engaging in one’s community, and wanting to live differently from the “traditional” 2oth century American  suburbanite.

CoolTown Studios has an incredible model for crowdsourcing that you can easily get in on for your own neighborhood – in Mixson’s case, that’s North Charleston.  With the E. Montague district getting hotter every month, crowdsourcing seems like a perfect fit – all we need now is someone with an idea.  Would you really like to see an independent movie theater?  A specialty  bookstore?  Affordable artist housing?  Studio space?  There are endless possibilities, and because you can utilize the vision and energy of others from your neighborhood, or even across the country, you literally should be able to create whatever your heart desires.

So if this is you that we’re talking about, check out the CoolTown Studios community page, and let us know what you’re up to on this blog, as well – we might make up part of your crowd!

Filed under: Charleston SC Green Living, I'On Group, Mixson, Urban Sustainability on December 29th, 2008