The Knight Creative Communities Institute (KCCI) strives to attract and retain young professionals and develop a more adaptable workforce for Florida’s capital city. It was founded in early 2009 through a 5-year grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation after the successful Knight Creative Class pilot project in 2007. That effort produced the Tallahassee Film Festival, the environmental group Sustainable Tallahassee and the Get Gaines Going initiative to turn the street into an arts and entertainment district.
KCCI aims to be a national model. By developing a stronger creative sector, all of Tallahassee will benefit from new jobs and businesses. It is fueled by a group of “community catalysts,” or local leaders and advocates who will meet to devise new ways to help the city’s economy grow.
The institute is housed at Tallahassee Community College in the Center for Workforce Development and is managed by an executive director who was hired in May 2009. KCCI also has an active advisory board who assists in planning and executing ideas for the program.
Catalysts are selected in the fall and begin their work shortly thereafter. They participate in a three-day seminar to discuss the region’s strengths and needs along with global trends in economic prosperity, as well as the 4 T’s as outlined by Richard Florida in his book, The Rise of the Creative Class. At the conclusion of the seminar, the catalysts will have created a unified vision of prosperity and an accompanying plan to help the community reach that vision. Catalysts will commit one year to educate, engage and enable fellow citizens in their initiatives.
Learn more about what a Community Catalyst is and how you can become one here.