Valerie Ann Larson Haynes talks about Creative Provinces –
Do you love where you live?
I’m sure many of us – maybe when we’re out driving or perhaps taking a leisurely morning walk – we think, “well this town is nice…but it would be nicer if…”
Most of the towns and cities we live in are assembled with no real cohesion to the concept – it’s sort of a patchwork affair. As the town expands, a particular construction will go up or come down without much concern for how the residents view the overall project. Sure, civil engineers and architects do their best to incorporate elements to make towns friendly, aesthetic places which are easy to navigate – but is this the town or city of your dreams? Is it a unique and magical community?
Maybe you see yourself in a Victorian, or a Medieval village, or love the idea of a town centered around a horse theme. Maybe the 60’s is your thing where all the shops, restaurants, entertainment, and vehicles are from that era – these are the town’s heritage treasures. Unlike a theme park, you could be living in this world – not just visiting it.
So what type of town do you see yourself living in? Valerie Ann Larson Haynes asks us to really ponder this question in her book, Creative Provinces—A New World of Enchanting and Empowered Communities.
And what are Creative Provinces?
They are defined as “communities established for the creation or reclamation of a unique culture, travelway, industry, or environment by people organized as a group of properties.”
First one decides how one wants to live, and then links their property—like Lego blocks—to the properties of others with the same vision. It’s an organic process that grows over time.
To quote the author: “Creative Provinces are limitless. They can be anywhere, any size, and have any vision. They are compliments to democracy and sovereignty and embody both concepts. They hold to the highest principles of creating community life as a magnificent, beautiful, and loving art form.”
One key aspect of Creative Provinces is that they have heritage treasures, which are integral to their real-life existence. These treasures are what the Province’s members, or “provincials,” create, revive, appreciate, maintain, and protect and use.
In Creative Provinces, trades will develop, to support the shared vision of the community. For instance, if you lived in a Victorian town there would be bookbinders, shoe cobblers, candle-makers, horses, buggies, and Victorian hats. These micro industries would manifest from the original vision.
What about a real North Pole – where there are craftspeople that make handcrafted toys? Where there are actual reindeer! Call it kooky, but if a group of individuals are serious about developing this type of place – it can be done!
I asked Haynes if it would hurt or help us to live in this type of community, say, if government were to strong-arm us. She thinks it would help because the community could be already self-sufficient – having the infrastructure in place to rely on each other.
The ideas in Creative Provinces are fascinating and should be purposely reviewed – especially in the current era with so much talk of “smart” cities. Our alternative dreams are indeed achievable! It is up to groups of like-minded individuals to dream together and come up with a plan!
Valerie Ann Larson Haynes is a writer, editor, publisher and the founding editor of the cooperative publishing group, Illume Writers & Artists. She has spent most of her career helping people publish, perform, and display their creative works in various venues.
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