1) The document discusses opportunities for seeding new Creative Cities in the Lusosphere through emerging tools like online learning, freelancing markets, crowdfunding, and partnerships with platforms like AirBnB. 2) It proposes using Special Economic Zones, land grants, and Community Land Trust models to generate sustained funding from increases in land values, as seen in places like Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Singapore. 3) Universities could partner with private developers and local governments to establish "Endowment Zones" that fund scholarships and initiatives to incubate Creative Cities through annual ground lease revenues.

1. Seeding New
Creative Cities in
the Lusosphere
Mark Frazier
Startup Societies Foundation
LSA conference on The Lusophone World:
Global and Local Communities
Universidade de Évora. Portugal
June 28, 2019

2. Questions we’ll explore
u Can new Creative Communities grow in the
Lusosphere?
u How can local and global actions best speed
their emergence?

3. Creative
energies abound
u The Lusosphere draws on
vibrant cultures from Africa,
South America, Europe, and
the Pacific
u Already, its music, art, design,
food and fashion inspire
global markets
u Yet the current UNESCO-
designated Creative Cities
account for only a fraction of
the overall talent pool

4. Why it matters – economies are shifting

5. The changes will help creative ventures
thrive
New tools
u Affordable
telecommunications
u Anytime/anywhere
learning
u Global freelance
marketplaces
u Online funding platforms
Emerging creative
economy –
Billions now can learn,
design, and co-create
across borders
Current economic
system –
National policies limit
who can play – and
determine who wins

6. Free online courses provide “anytime,
anywhere” learning
Thousands of
online courses
from Unicamp,
FGV, MIT, Harvard,
Yale, and other
leading universities
are offered free of
charge

7. Creative talent now can directly access
thriving global freelance markets
u Millions of freelance artists,
photographers, musicians,
writers and web designers
in Asia, Europe and the
Americas have registered in
free-to-join online markets
for telework
u Tens of thousands of
Portuguese-speaking
freelancers are now
competing for online jobs
(little awareness).

8. Volunteers and donors are backing
grassroots creative ventures

9. Local arts and music projects have
discovered crowdfunding
Portuguese language sites: Embolacha, Kickante, Catarse, Sibite

10. Creative ventures in once-isolated areas are
earning income from global product sales

11. AirBnb’s online platform now promotes
creative experiences – including cultural
tours, art workshops, and music events

12. Tourism
revenue can
surge via
creative
ventures
with AirBnbs

13. A near-term path to sustainability:
creative ventures can partner with AirBnbs
• Local groups can propose public arts projects, music events,
festivals, cleanup/fixups, and neighborhood safety campaigns to
draw new visitors
• AirBnb hosts, in return, can share part of their increased earnings
with partnering groups as the area improves

14. What does this mean for aspiring Creative
Communities in the Lusosphere?
u Immediate opportunities to build skills, find jobs in creative
gigs – regardless of location
u Opportunities to generate revenue from online sales of
creative products, and crowdfunding of local arts and cultural
events
u Innovative partnerships opportunities that promote cultural
experiences and tourism, on a revenue sharing basis
u These can create fast tracks for communities that are now
at the margins to emerge as hubs for creative endeavors

15. What about sustained funding for the next
wave of Creative Cities?
Community-driven arts and cultural initiatives
can share in land value gains as neighborhoods
improve

16. Vehicles for sharing the new asset gains:
land grants and Community Land Trusts
Hundreds of universities worldwide have
received land grants for sustainability… Thousands of Community Land
Trusts let members enjoy
affordable housing…
Stanford’s Tech Park Joint Venture

17. Singapore, Hong Kong, and Macau embody
a success-sharing land trust strategy
Singapore
Macau
Hong Kong

18. How to supercharge land values:
Offer “Special Economic Zone” incentives
Zonamerica Free Zone
(www.Zonamerica.com)
Uruguay has introduced reforms surpassing those of Hong Kong and
Singapore, transforming a cow pasture into some of the most valuable land
in the Americas (with 10,000+ tech workers)

19. How Special Economic Zones sparked
China’s takeoff
In 1979, Shenzhen was a
fishing village with a
population of under 10,000.
There China launched its
experimental reforms, with
Hong-style low tax and open
trade policies.
Today, it has become the
world’s “Silicon Valley of
Hardware,” with more than 11
million residents. Land values
have risen more than 50-fold.
Now China has more than 100
similar zones of liberalization.

20. Liberalized zones are mushrooming
Example: a new $10 billion Chinese-
funded Special Economic Zone is
being launched in TanzaniaMore than 3500 Special Economic
Zones exist today in 100+ countries

21. Endowment Zones: a lasting way to
generate revenue for common benefit
Endowment Zones are sites where Community Land
Trusts benefit from investor-friendly reforms.
With world class reforms, such as cutting taxes and red
tape, 5x – 50x rises in property values are possible.
Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Macau today
operate on a land trust model, and are earning billions of
dollars from long-term ground leases rather than from
selling their land.
Proceeds help fund education and social services, as well
as “growth dividend” payments (in Macau) directly to
residents.
Endowment Zones can be a source of sustained funding
source for new Creative Cities in the Portuguese speaking
world.

22. Endowment Zones can be used to fund new
Creative City initiatives
A scenario for UNILAB – a Brazil-based University
for the Lusosphere – to deal with budget cuts?
The university could seek land grant endowment
partnerships to seed and fund new Creative City
initiatives in the Portuguese-speaking world.
With added Special Economic Zone incentives,
the land could grow in value – and lease revenues
could help UNILAB spread scholarships for
creative, work-study experiences, organize
global contests, and help with global
crowdfunding of promising local events.
Other beneficiaries of Endowment Zones could include in-country
universities, associations of creative professionals, music and film
festival organizers, and online education/training providers.

23. A scenario for Portuguese-language universities
to globally help incubate new Creative Cities
u Seek private and public sector land grants on the model of North American
land grant universities (Stanford, Duke, Cornell and 70+ others)
u Secure targeted Special Economic Zone incentives (e.g. innovative
anticorruption measures to improve the climate for investment, eGoverment
fast approvals for investment, reduced taxes, and red tape)
u Attract risk-taking private developers to develop the sites on a revenue-
sharing basis
u Commit shares of the annual ground lease income to fund annual scholarships
and fellowships for Creative Cities initiatives
u Help seed and spread Endowment Zones for creative industry initiatives
throughout the Portuguese-speaking world

24. The Belt and Road Initiative –
An Asset-Awakening Opportunity?
u China has pledged US$4-8 trillion for a global
network of ports, roads, railways and Special
Economic Zones.
u This “New Silk Road” could fund Endowment Zones
and infrastructure projects connecting Creative
Cities across Brazil and other South America
countries.

25. Initial projects
already are moving

26. Conclusion
Lusophone universities and global allies of their choosing
can help talent enter thriving new markets – and set up
endowments for creative ventures on a self-funding basis.
These steps can speed emergence of new Portuguese-
speaking Creative Cities. These can enrich the Lusosphere’s
contributions in the changing times ahead.
Thank you!
mark@startupsocieties.org