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The Migration Dynamics of the “Creative Class”: Evidence from a Study of Artists in Stockholm, Sweden

This article focuses on a neglected issue in debates about the “creative city,” the migration dynamics of the so-called creative class. The work of Richard Florida on the importance of the “creative class” for urban development continues to influence urban policymakers worldwide, despite the lack of empirical evidence supporting the key assumptions made about the migration dynamics of those in apparently “creative” occupations. This article evaluates the usefulness of adopting the approach of analyzing the migration dynamics of one “creative” occupation, artists. We consider the migration experiences of a group of artists who have moved to Stockholm, Sweden, exploring their mobility and their motivations for moving, the factors influencing their choice of location, and the influence of their occupational dynamics on their mobility. The analysis advances earlier studies of creative migration by considering the impact on their mobility of life-cycle effects and their reliance on professional networks and queries the purported link between openness and tolerance in cities with low entry barriers for those in “creative” occupations.