Thiscould go down as jobs week in the District: Mayor-elect Vincent Gray kicked off things Monday with his job summit. At-large Council Member Michael Brown is expected to hold a public roundtable Friday to examine the so-called “creative economy” — the marketplace for plays, music and other artistic endeavors. “It’s frustrating looking at New York and Los Angeles take such interest in their creative industry. We don’t deal with it like it creates jobs and makes money,” Brown told me. He said even nearby jurisdictions have been much more accommodating to the industry, which includes fashion designers, architects, chefs, writers, graphic artists, musicians and other performing artists. He said he wants to provide resources and structure to such businesses.
“It’s the right thing to do, and it’s the smart thing to do,” Brown said. Recent studies have indicated the industry has been directly responsible for producing 75,000 jobs and generating $5 billion of income.
