The Bronx is known for being the birthplace of hip hop, the graffiti movement and the home of many arts and culture institutions. The influence art has had on this borough is a huge part of tourism – but it is also a significant force in backing economic development.
The Bronx Economic Development Corporation works closely with the Bronx Kreate Hub, a coworking space for artists, makers and entrepreneurs. The Kreate Hub has four floors of studios where members can work on their craft, run a business and more. Their members include tattoo artists, estheticians, portrait artists and other creatives who seek to rent a studio inside the 24-hour building instead of facing the pressure of finding and qualifying for their own space.
The BXEDC recently collaborated with the Kreate Hub to give a tour of the building to Clare Guinness and Lisa Comerton of the U.K.-based Belfast Chamber of Commerce during their trip to New York City. They were looking to learn about different ways NYC boroughs approach economic development. Given The Bronx’s rich artistic history, we thought the Kreate Hub was the place to show them.
During the tour, we met with several artists who spoke about their experience renting at the Kreate Hub and how they have benefited financially from having a place to create, where they can also network with other artists. Alma Basanta, the property manager, also coordinates events for their members to mingle.
During the tour, Clare noted that the city of Belfast has a lot of artists, but not necessarily a community hub for them to connect. Alma and I spoke about how we see firsthand that it is worth investing in the arts. The Kreate Hub location in the Bronx has proven to be beneficial since it opened in 2019 – so much so that they expanded to Philadelphia and Nashville.
Belfast has a thriving art sector – they have 23 famous murals in their city, in addition to public sculptures, performance venues and arts festivals. Surely, they are already witnessing the economic benefits of art. We look forward to seeing how this visit influences that even more.
