ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the concept of the creative milieu, that is as concentrated places within cities and city regions – quarters or industrial districts or clusters – where economic development of the creative industries is concentrated to achieve inter-trading, agglomeration economies and city diversity. A large number of shops, a few bars and a surviving rag trade pre-dated the Manchester Northern Quarter (MNQ) new identity as a cultural quarter. In 2000, the Cultural Industries Development Service was formed to help develop sustainable cultural and creative enterprises in Manchester's metropolitan core, including the MNQ and Ancoats. Most cultural quarters tend to operate at the modern, design and media end of the cultural spectrum. Cultural quarters only work where there are venues, workplaces for cultural producers and working artists. Artists in particular, are attracted to places with a diversity of trades and businesses, and a strong element of chaos and the chance encounter.
