Planning for Sustainable Creative City Development of Mysuru (Mysore), Karnataka State

Abstract

The research investigates the concept of the "creative city" and its potential for sustainable urban development, with a specific focus on Mysuru City in India. The study explores the multifaceted relationship between creativity, culture, and urban development, examining how cities can leverage their creative capital to foster economic growth, social inclusion, and cultural vibrancy. The research delves into the evolution of the creative city concept, tracing its origins from early cultural policies to contemporary approaches that emphasize innovation, diversity, and sustainability. It critically analyzes various theoretical frameworks, including Richard Florida's "creative class" theory and Charles Landry's "creative city" toolkit, highlighting their contributions and limitations in understanding urban creativity. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques. A comprehensive literature review examines the theoretical foundations of the creative city concept, while a primary household survey in Mysuru City gathers data on residents' perceptions of creativity, cultural participation, and quality of life. The survey covers various aspects, including demographics, socio-economic status, occupation, infrastructure, services, and cultural activities. The research also employs correlation to analyze the control parameters and system dynamics technique to forecast the city's creative potential and simulate different development scenarios. The modelling provides insights into the potential trajectories of creative capital of the study area, by analyzing the interrelation between various subsystems. such as population growth, education attainment, almost all kinds of infrastructure, and creative industries, etc. 17 The findings of the study reveal a complex and dynamic relationship between creativity, culture, and urban development in Mysuru City. The city's rich cultural heritage, diverse population, and emerging creative industries contribute to its creative capital. However, challenges such as income disparities, inadequate infrastructure, and limited access to cultural resources hinder the full realization of its creative potential. The system dynamics model forecasts significant growth in Mysuru's population, economy, and creative industries, highlighting the potential challenges related to infrastructure, education, and social inclusion. The study proposes a set of policy recommendations based on the research findings, for fostering sustainable creative development in Mysuru City. These recommendations encompass various domains, including education, infrastructure, cultural policy, and economic development, etc. The study emphasizes the importance of investing in education and skills development, promoting cultural diversity and inclusion, supporting creative industries and entrepreneurship, and enhancing urban infrastructure and public spaces. By implementing these recommendations in time, Mysuru can leverage its creative capital to achieve sustainable development goals, enhance the quality of life for its residents, and establish itself as a vibrant and sustainable creative city in the global landscape.