The 2009 I Want to Live Here film competition is focusing in on the Gentrification Game – The War On Creativity.

The war on creativity asks young artists to respond to the effects of gentrification in their cities and neighbourhoods. Gentrification is a demographic shift in an urban area which sees affluent middle class people move into an area creating higher demand for housing and leading to an increase in property prices.

This has the adverse effect of pricing out current and long term residents who generally don’t have the capital to adapt to higher rents. Melbourne has seen many of its inner suburbs like North Fitzroy, Collingwood, Carlton and Northcote rise in popularity and price; making it difficult for students and artists to afford housing.

The irony of gentrification is that it cuts out the people who contributed to the rise in popularity of a suburb. It is widely acknowledged that artists, bohemians, or ‘hipsters’  have attributed to the allure of traditionally down market inner urban areas, transforming former slums into sub-cultural paradises of hip cafes, artist run spaces, music venues and retro shops.

Yet instead of getting credit for creating dynamic artistic communities; livelihoods are threatened as artists scramble to find extra cash for higher rents, forcing many to move out.  This is a global phenomenon which affects creative communities everywhere, so if you’re in a place like Hackney (London), Wicker Park (Chicago) or Zizkov (Prague) then we want to hear your stories.

It’s time artists take back what they created. Make a 3 minute film addressing these issues and providing a solution so that in time artists get credit for the community they created instead of getting priced out!!

Read our guidelines for more background and a focus on what the judges are looking for
See wiki for further details and examples on gentrification
Download the e-flyer