Few sectors of the economy have the potential to transform communities like creative industries.  They have the ability to reshape a city’s image, become a magnet for outside talent, boost vibrancy and quality of life to provide an economic advantage over competing communities without rich creative sectors.  Hamilton offers all the key ingredients to become a creative industrial hotbed in Canada:  excellent quality of life, affordable living options, easy access to major markets within a 100km radius including Toronto and the northern U.S.A., and, most importantly, a well-developed and growing local scene.

For over 100 years Hamilton has had a vibrant and dynamic creative industries cluster that is in the midst of yet another boom period.  From our foundations as Canada’s industrial heartland, Hamilton as a “city of artists” in many fields has driven local prosperity.  Artists and creative businesses in most every discipline have thrived in our community as there is growing internal and external markets for local creativity, strong opportunities for presentation (festivals, galleries, music venues), excellent networks that are easy to access, and a growing population who engage in their local cultural community.