Ethnographic observations by creative entrepreneurs

In recent years the usefulness of arts- and culture-driven urban regeneration has been recognized. The role of creative entrepreneurs – how they ‘do’ regeneration and how they make decisions about where to locate – is however being underexposed. This research investigates how creative entrepreneurs view their part in gentrification processes/urban development. It focuses on the neighborhood the Zomerhofkwartier in Rottterdam, a gentrifying area in a city in the Netherlands. Findings suggest that creative entrepreneurs are an integral part of gentrification processes and urban development. However, counterintuitive, due to self-interest they do not perceive themselves as the ones making tangible and direct contributions. The thesis uses a qualitative approach. Interviews with creative entrepreneurs located in the Zomerhofkwartier in Rotterdam are the main source of data together with already existing literature on the creative economy, the labor force of the cultural industries, and the use of culture in urban development.