Is Krakow attractive to young members of the creative class? : urban policy implications

Currently not only academics but also many municipal governments find the idea of the creative city a promising concept. They often stress the need to develop the creative sector as well as attract the creative class to metropolitan areas in order to make them more competitive in the global market. If young musicians, visual artists, architects, designers, actors and other students in creative majors are to remain in a city after graduation what type of practical measures should be undertaken by municipal authorities to make an urban centre attractive to them as a place of artistic education, creation and residence? The paper addresses two main issues linked with the inclusion of the creative class and creative city concept in urban policy making. On the one hand, it looks at what are the most desired programmes and activities aimed directly at artists as the core of the creative class. On the other, it considers the general features of the socio-economic milieu attractive to the aspirational creative class which the municipal authorities may to some extent be able to impact on