23 May 2016- ‘Festival of Economics’, Andromeda

[Василий Александров]

Dear designers,
This year the Andromeda Art Studio has once again been invited to participate in the ‘Festival of Economics’, held between June 2th and June 5th 2016 in Trento.

The theme for this year is:
Where growth takes place

Planet earth is anything but flat. For the joy of cyclists, ski enthusiasts and rock-climbers, it presents no shortage of hills and dales to explore. But the world of economics is even more uneven than the peaks that emerge from the maps of the alpine range.Granted, new communication technologies have greatly reduced distances in the exchange of information and market interactions. But the world’s economic geography suggests economic growth is increasingly concentrated in relatively few large cities capable of attracting human capital and of driving innovation. More than peaks, the maps of per-capita income reveal spikes, often located in areas that host research centres and top universities.In fact, the old centres and suburbs of the post-war era or even of the end of the last century are not necessarily the ones that are excelling. The economic hierarchy not only of countries, but also of cities, has undergone profound change and is in constant flux. There are many advancing and many falling back in the urban rankings of the world.It is vital that we study the economic and demographic growth of these new phenomena in order to understand not only the ingredients required for growth but also their optimal combination, the recipes we need if we want to prosper. The scale and size of cities matter, because only large labour markets can offer opportunities to a broad range of talents, matching demand and skill sets and enabling both members of power couples to fulfil their dreams.In order for these economies of agglomeration to succeed, the context must favour the circulation of ideas and networks of contacts among individuals. But the oft-cited amenity values also matter greatly, the not strictly economic factors that make one location more attractive than another and which draw on external talent. There is a lot of hysteresis in these processes: as soon as one location starts to take off or betrays the first signs of a decline, virtuous or vicious cycles are set in motion. And even if one wanted to, they are difficult to stop.Infrastructural networks play a very important role in promoting urbanization and in permitting the creation of talent bases. Housing policies for immigrants are also very important in determining the pace and quality of a city’s development.The economic context, of cities especially, plays a very important role in social mobility as well, as we learnt in last year’s edition of the Festival. This eleventh edition will instead tackle an area that has only recently been rediscovered: the economics of space and geography. We will welcome economists, demographers, and sociologists who are experts in urban agglomeration. And we will hear from those who today and in the past have played an active role in administering these territories, mindful that the rapid growth or decline of an area poses complex governance problems.

Visit: http://2016.festivaleconomia.eu
We would appreciate it if you could email your work to us.

Deadline May 23 2016

At the address: studioandromeda@gmail.com
Works: Max 1 Mb, 300 dpi, jpg

Upon the conclusion of the festival, a judge will declare the three winning designers and present prizes.
More information can be found by visiting the homepage of the Provincia Autonoma di Trento and navigating to the official homepage of the ‘Festival of Economics’ Festival dell’Economia.

Best wishes
Studio d’Arte Andromeda