Suburbs become new creativity hubs

Suburban areas could be hotbeds of creative productivity suggests a new study underway at Murdoch University.

Researchers from the Centre for Everyday Life are investigating the truth in the ‘Dullsville’ tag that has plagued suburban living.

 
Dr Gibson and Dr Lee in the suburbs

“However in Australia, much of our creative production has a suburban sensibility – like the hit TV series Kath and Kim for example. This drew us to think that the suburbs have been wrongly dismissed as vacuums for creative output.”

The research team is investigating life in the suburbs from three different angles.

Dr Gibson is examining the history and transformation of suburbia in Perth over the past decade.

“The last decade has seen a huge phenomenon of house and garden makeovers ,” Dr Gibson said.

“This investment in the suburban home has been a driving force behind the housing boom and has established a culture of investment in the home rather than in shares and savings like other countries. However, this pride in the home is developing a sense of creativity and design talent in suburban dwellers – reflected right through to the technology within the home.”

Interactive and new media researcher Dr Ingrid Richardson is focusing on the impact and uptake of new technology in the suburbs and analysing the flow on effects to creative output with suburbia.

The impact of new technology can even be seen in children’s homework assignments, which have reached a level of professionalism far beyond the skill levels of children just a decade ago.

“We are seeing a shift into a new economy which is all about consumer led creativity – giving people the tools to be creative themselves.” Dr Gibson said.

The third arm of the project is being led by Dr Terence Lee, who is examining the cohort of highly skilled professionals from Singapore who have been drawn to Perth because of the suburban lifestyle.

The team hope to hold a symposium on suburban creativity later this year.