Why Did We Choose the theme The Collaborative City?
The new imperative to collaborate is rooted in the need to solve persistent multi-dimensional problems and a growing appreciation of how collaboration fuels innovation. It is blurring boundaries between audience and creator, inspiring us to build infrastructure differently, and forcing us to think about new ways of doing things. In businesses, governments and NGO’s, people are being called upon to break out of their silos, rise above self-interest for the common good, and get creative with their colleagues in other departments and sectors.
 
What’s The Challenge?
While collaboration for collective interest sounds good in principle, it is easier said than done. Conflicting interests, egos, cultural barriers, and exposure to liability are among the things that can make it hard to find common ground. Difficulties posed by collaboration tend to reinforce conventional approaches and as Jane Jacobs used to say, “squelch creativity”. What is needed is a new way of thinking: one that recognizes that successful collaboration may require different approaches to: leadership, design, facilitation, risk analysis, diversity, infrastructure and technology. While the imperative to collaborate may be stronger than ever, the thinking and practice about how to do this effectively is not as widespread.
 
Who  Produced Creative Places + Spaces 2009?
Creative Places + Spaces was presented by Artscape, in collaboration with MaRS, Martin Prosperity Institute, and the City of Toronto - Economic Development, Culture & Tourism.

What themes did Creative Places + Spaces 2009  explore?
The overarching idea behind the 2009  forum is that collaboration fuels innovation by connecting people, places and ideas.  Additional themes that were explored included how:

• Team-based design thinking is leading to new approaches to problem solving and idea generation
• Collaborative leadership is creating a new frame of mind and new styles of leadership
• Education approaches are shifting to prepare people for 21st century economies
• Diversity is a major driver for innovation, producing major dividends for communities and organizations
• New technologies and physical infrastructure are fueling collaboration and innovation
• New relationships and partnerships between unusual groups and organizations are re-writing the rules of engagement and measures of success

What outcomes and legacies did conference organizers hope to achieve?
Creative Places + Spaces: The Collaborative City engaged global perspectives on collaboration and connected them with local change-makers. It encompassed in-person and virtual exchanges of ideas that culminated in a 3-day conference in Toronto that provided delegates with new insights and approaches on how to effectively collaborate. One of the major outcomes of the forum was the collective creation of the ‘The Keys to Collaborative Cities”: guiding principles on what cities and communities need to do to foster creativity through collaboration. The  Creative Places + Spaces aims were to:

• Inspire a sense of what is possible through creative collaboration
• Create a multi-dimensional learning experience that advances thinking and practice
• Break down barriers to collaboration
• Be the catalyst for the development of new platforms for dialogue about cities, creativity, and collaboration