Introduction

This introductory chapter provides the theme of the book, which focuses on providing people with a wide variety of cultural products in the form of media content or leisure experiences, addressing different identities and lifestyles, perceived needs and individual gratifications. Cultural creators and consumers appear to attain an almost existential connection: Individuals consciously devote a significant portion of their life to cultural creations that acquire a special significance for them. Cultural providers recognize the complexity of cultural domains as they consider multitudes of individual traits and group attributes along with societal, economic, political, cultural and personality characteristics that influence leisure decisions. The famous urbanist Richard Florida provides detailed evidence for what he describes as the creative class, a population of modern workers for whom creativity is an essential fiber as they carry out their professional tasks. In the context of urban transformations, there is one further element that deserves our consideration: the advent of the experience economy.