In half a century, twice as many people will live in cities as do now. The city will then truly be the motor of the global economy. What does this urban Next Economy have in store for us?
No one can predict what the future will hold, but one thing is certain: more of the same is no longer a viable option. Climate change, global urbanization, emerging new technologies, increasing migration, and growing inequality urgently demand real solutions. We have to rethink the way in which we live, work, and learn, and where and how we consume and produce. We will have to redesign the balance between system and individual, between rich and poor, between young and old, between sustainability and growth.
How should we design and govern our cities? Although we are not prophets, we can investigate and imagine tomorrow’s city, research it by design. IABR–2016–THE NEXT ECONOMY takes the main challenges of the twenty-first century as its starting point. We explore the Next Economy and imagine the city of the future: the healthy and socially inclusive city, the productive city, and the sustainable green city. The city in which public space once again takes center stage.

Source >> http://iabr.nl/en

What Works Mesa Now: Creative People ReGenerating This Place We Call Home

No, dear readers -  and thank you all very much for over 28,000 views! - this is not a press release from mesanow.org the City of Mesa newsroom that calls itself that and puts out what City Hall wants and calls "news".
There's news and there are stories and there are always more stories behind stories.
Some of the stories your MesaZona blogger likes most are about Creative Place Making, the matrix of its dynamics, the interactions of ideas and the people who are making NOW now . . . They are simply not waiting for whatever might be next here in The Urban DTMesa .
Here are some stories written by other people for news now.

Outstanding among many of the organizations delivering results in real time is a national group with a local headquarters in Phoenix, Local Initiatives Support Corporation http://programs.lisc.org/phoenix/index.php
There are some very recent stories in just the last few days about Mesa and Greater Phoenix that may be of interest to viewers of this blog.
To encourage you to read them, excerpts or whole parts are reproduced here for your interest.

The (Re)Making of Mesa
4.05.2016
Community leaders and activists have revived Mesa's downtown using arts and culture and made it a place that's welcoming and relevant to all residents, regardless of income. Now, with the arrival of the light rail, they hope to add the affordable housing and jobs that could turn Arizona's third largest city into a truly equitable transit village.

International Monetary Fund >> World Economic Outlook April 2016 Slower Growth Revised Down

Speeches given by SF Fed Reserve Bank president John Williams and U.S. Fed Reserve Bank Chief Janet Yelled have both been featured here in posts on this blog. One seemed to play down global influences while the other was cautions in these "certainly uncertain" times.
Today this is published
World Economic Outlook (WEO)
Analytical Chapters

April 2016

Source: http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2016/01/index.htm

 

Here in black-and-white from the Fed meeting minutes 03.31.2016 [above] 
Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-03-31/fed-minutes-u-s-services-masters-golf-week-ahead-april-2-9

Yours truly cannot get hung up by trying to decipher and understand what all this academic language is all about, except for some words like slowdown, decline, and debt crises.

What I need are infographics and visuals to cut through twisted narratives that simply state what is going on, like this image to the right from the IMF with real projected figures for advanced and emerging economies.

[You can click on it to enlarge]

 

 

 

 

... or this that shows slower growth everywhere.

The U.S. is the second grouping from the left

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mostly enthusiastic and upbeat mainstream media reporting on reports released by the government that turn out, as the infographic clearly shows that growth forecasts are revised down.

 

 

 

 

Contents

Chapter 2. Understanding the Slowdown in Capital Flows to Emerging Markets
Net capital flows to emerging market economies have slowed since 2010, affecting all regions. This chapter shows that both weaker inflows and stronger outflows have contributed to the slowdown and that much of the decline in inflows can be explained by the narrowing differential in growth prospects between emerging market and advanced economies. The chapter also highlights that the incidence of external debt crises in the ongoing episode has so far been much lower, although the slowdown in net capital inflows has been comparable in breadth and size to the major slowdowns of the 1980s and 1990s. Improved policy frameworks have contributed greatly to this difference. Crucially, more flexible exchange rate regimes have facilitated orderly currency depreciations that have mitigated the effects of the global capital flow cycle on many emerging market economies. Higher levels of foreign asset holdings by emerging market economies, in particular higher levels of foreign reserves, as well as lower shares of external liabilities denominated in foreign currency (that is, less of the so-called original sin) have also been instrumental.

• Full Text | Press Points

• Anatomy of the Slowdown in Net Capital Inflows
• Historical Comparisons: What Is Different This Time?
• What Is Driving the Recent Slowdown in Capital Flows to Emerging Market Economies?
• Conclusions
• References

Annexes
2.1	Sample of Emerging Market Economies
2.2	Data
2.3	Methodology
Boxes
2.1	Capital Flows to Low-Income Developing Countries
2.2	U.S. Monetary Policy and Capital Flows to Emerging Markets
Figures
Chart	Data	2.1	Net Capital Inflows to Emerging Market Economies and Number of Debt Crises, 1980–2015:Q3
Chart	Data	2.2	Net Capital Inflows to Emerging Market Economies, 2000–15:Q3
Chart	Data	2.3	Capital Inflows and Outflows for Emerging Market Economies 2000–15:Q3
Chart	Data	2.4	Capital Inflows and Outflows for Emerging Market Economies by Asset Type: 2000–15:Q3
Chart	Data	2.5	Net Capital Inflows by Region, 2000–15:Q3
Chart	Data	2.6	Net Reserve Assets of Emerging Market Economies, 2000–15:Q3
Chart	Data	2.7	Exchange Rates of Emerging Market Economies, 2010–15:Q3
Chart	Data	2.8	Net Capital Inflow Slowdown and Exchange Rate Changes, 2010–15:Q3
Chart	Data	2.9	Cost of Financing, Sovereign Spreads, and Capital Flows in Emerging Market Economies
Chart	Data	2.10	Three Major Net Capital Inflow Slowdown Episodes
Chart	Data	2.11	External Balance Sheets of Emerging Market Economies, 1980–2014
Chart	Data	2.12	Gross Capital Inflows and Outflows of Emerging Market Economies, 1980–2014
Chart	Data	2.13	Net External Debt Liabilities of Emerging Market Economies, 1980–2014
Chart	Data	2.14	Outstanding Debt of Emerging Market Economies Denominated in Domestic Currency, 1995–2015
Chart	Data	2.15	Net Capital Outflows and the Current Account during the 2010–15 Slowdown
Chart	Data	2.16	Nominal Effective Exchange Rate Adjustment in 1995–2000 and 2010–15:Q3
Chart	Data	2.17	Role of Global Factors in the Recent Slowdown
Chart	Data	2.18	Estimated Time Fixed Effects and Average Gross Capital Inflows to Emerging Market Economies
Chart	Data	2.19	Share of Variation in Gross Capital Inflows Explained by Global Factors
Chart	Data	2.20	2010–15 Gross Capital Inflow Slowdown and Country-Specific Characteristics
Chart	Data	2.21	Differences in the Contribution of Global Factors between More and Less Flexible Exchange Rate Regimes
Chart	Data	2.1.1	Net Capital Inflows to Low-Income Developing Countries, 2000–14
Chart	Data	2.1.2	Capital Inflows and Outflows of Low-Income Developing Countries, 2000–14
Chart	Data	2.1.3	Capital Inflows to Low-Income Developing Countries by Asset Type and Net Capital Inflows by Region, 2000–14
Chart	Data	2.1.4	Net Reserve Assets and Current Account Balance, 2000–14
Chart	Data	2.1.5	Net Capital Inflows to Low-Income Developing Countries, 2012–15, Restricted Sample
Chart	Data	2.1.6	Exchange Rates of Low-Income Developing Countries, 2009–15:Q3
Chart	Data	2.2.1	Correlation between Emerging Market Fund Flows and Emerging Market Total Portfolio Inflows
Tables
2.1	Foreign Reserves and the Current Account in Balance of Payments Adjustments
2.2	Large Depreciations, Banking Sector Stress, and External Crises during Slowdown Episodes
2.2.1	Short-Term Determinants of Emerging Market Fund Flows
Annex 2.1.1	Countries in the Chapter’s Emerging Market Economies Sample
Annex 2.1.2	External Crisis Episodes, 1980–2015
Annex 2.1.3	Large Depreciation Episodes, 1995–2000
Annex 2.1.4	Large Depreciation Episodes, 2010–15
Annex 2.3.1	Role of Global Factors in Explaining Gross Capital Inflows
Annex 2.3.2	Role of Global Factors in Explaining Gross Capital Outflows
Annex 2.3.3	Role of Country Characteristics in Explaining Gross Capital Inflows
Annex 2.3.4	Role of Country Characteristics in Explaining Gross Capital Outflows
Annex 2.3.5	Role of Interaction Terms in Explaining Gross Capital Inflows
Annex 2.3.6	Role of Country Characteristics and Global Factors in Explaining Gross Capital Inflows

Chapter 3. Time for a Supply-Side Boost? Macroeconomic Effects of Labor and Product Market Reforms in Advanced Economies
This chapter finds that product and labor market reforms raise output and employment in the medium term, but complementary macroeconomic policies are needed to maximize their short-term payoff given the current economic slack in most advanced economies. Product market reforms deliver gains in the short term, while the impact of labor market reforms varies across types of reforms and depends on overall economic conditions. Reductions in labor tax wedges and increases in public spending on active labor market policies have larger effects during periods of slack, in part because they usually entail some degree of fiscal stimulus. In contrast, reforms to employment protection arrangements and unemployment benefit systems have positive effects in good times, but can become contractionary in periods of slack. These results suggest the need for carefully prioritizing and sequencing reforms.

Press Briefing: World Economic Outlook, Analytical Chapters, April 2016                        
April 6, 2016
Watch the 25;17 video >> http://www.imf.org/external/mmedia/view.aspx?vid=4834175211001

5 New Exhibitions @ Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum + Free Reception Friday 13 May

Hat Tip: A Tribute to
Arts Philanthropy,
Threads: Gathering My Thoughts, Archive of Rag and Bone,
El Mac: Aerosol Exalted
Journey and Memory: Past the Rock, The Sun's Gates & The Land of Dreams
Press release from

Casey Blake

Director of Public Relations

Mesa Arts Center

Office: 480.644.6620

Cell: 480.390.1258

MesaArtsCenter.com

(Mesa, AZ) April 6, 2016 – Summer exhibitions at Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum continue the museum’s tradition of showcasing curated and proposed exhibitions of contemporary art by emerging and internationally recognized artists. Five exhibitions will be celebrated at a free reception, Friday, May 13, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. in the museum courtyard.

 

Exhibitions opening soon in the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum include Hat Tip: A Tribute to Arts Philanthropy, Threads: Gathering My Thoughts, Archive of Rag and Bone, El Mac: Aerosol Exalted, and Journey and Memory: past the rock, the sun’s gates and the land of dreams. The reception features musical entertainment by The Walt Richardson Trio and an opportunity to meet artists showing work in the exhibitions.

 

Hat Tip: A Tribute to Arts Philanthropy
April 8 – July 31, 2016

South Gallery

Coinciding with Mesa Arts Center’s 10th year celebration at this location, this exhibition honors the generous contributions that have added to the growing and diverse collection housed in the museum’s vault. As the museum continues to look to the future and build on its mission, we take a look back by featuring a few selected gifts from the last 10 years that were received from artists, collectors and through limited purchase awards. Thank you to all our fans, supporters and art enthusiasts these many years.

 

Threads: Gathering My Thoughts
An Installation by Susan Lenz
April 15 – August 7, 2016

SRP Gallery

Inspired by grassroots yarn bombings, South Carolina artist Susan Lenz turned her attention to the most basic fiber art material: yarn. Threads: Gathering My Thoughts is a site-specific installation that invites visitors to explore a labyrinth of colorful threads and baskets that hang from the ceiling and envelop the space. The connections and entanglements created by the installation visually represent the complexity of the human mind. *Susan Lenz is a 2015 proposal winner.

 

Archive of Rag and Bone

Kristin Beeler
April 29 – August 7, 2016

Project Room

California artist Kristin Beeler’s latest series, Archive of Rag and Bone, presents portraits and related objects that document very specific moments in time through memory. The exhibition includes hand embroidered Tyvek garments that reference protection and topography and serve as maps of the physical landscape. Other objects, rendered in silver, mother of pearl and charcoal, explore contrasting aesthetics of beauty that balance perfection and imperfection. *Kristin Beeler is a 2014 Project Room proposal winner.

 

El Mac: Aerosol Exalted
From the street to the gallery – the humble and the sublime

May 13 – August 7, 2016

Main Gallery

Aerosol Exalted features the latest body of work by famed Los Angeles artist El Mac. El Mac, who grew up in central Phoenix, is renowned for his large-scale murals that have become iconic landmarks in the cities across the globe. With his signature rippled line style, El Mac creates photorealistic portraits of ordinary people, often using family, friends and individuals underrepresented in society as models. He skillfully blends contemporary influences, like graffiti as well as the Chicano and Mexican culture he grew up around, with classical European art. In conjunction with this exhibition and Mesa Arts Center’s 10th year celebration at its present location in Downtown Mesa, Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum is proud to showcase a 35-foot tall mural by El Mac in the museum’s courtyard, titled Desert Rose (Nuevas Generaciones).

 

Journey and Memory: past the rock, the sun’s gates and the land of dreams
Christopher Jagmin and Patricia Sannit
May 13 – August 7, 2016

North Gallery

In this exhibition, painter Christopher Jagmin and sculptor Patricia Sannit have joined disciplines to create a dialog between materials, historical vocabularies and societal content. Both Arizona artists, who are known for their vivid line quality, incorporate historically inspired marks and patterns that are representative of human culture. Their collaborative installation serves as a metaphor for the arduous journey mankind has taken to get to this present point in time. *Christopher Jagmin and Patricia Sannit are 2015 North Gallery proposal winners.

 

Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum is located on the Mesa Arts Center campus at One E. Main Street in downtown Mesa. Admission is free, and hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with extended hours on Thursday until 8 p.m., and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum front desk: 480-644-6567.

 

[END]

About Mesa Arts Center
Mesa Arts Center, owned and operated by the City of Mesa, is a unique, architecturally stunning facility located in the heart of downtown Mesa. Arizona's largest multidisciplinary arts center is home to four theaters, five art galleries in the MCA Museum, and 14 art studios. Guests, patrons, and students come to Mesa Arts Center to enjoy the finest live entertainment, performances and festivals, world-class visual art exhibitions, and outstanding arts education classes. The Mesa Arts Center mission is to inspire people through engaging arts experiences that are diverse, accessible, and relevant. For more information, visit mesaartscenter.com.

 

 

Release > Q2 2016 City of Mesa Economic Reporter Newsletter

Released yesterday just after 3 o'clock

2nd Quarter 2016

Economic Reporter Newsletter

Post Date:04/05/2016 3:07 PM

 

Question: Instead of publishing hard economic data and infographics, analytics, construction and building permits, sales tax revenues, actual job growth and wage earnings, and residential and commercial real estate sales and investments, actions on RFPs, and building leases, what we get is one interview, a side bar for "Mesa In The News" and narratives in this newsletter.

Where's the data?
Is there the momentum the mayor has been paying lip service to for months, or are things decelerating and slowing down?
This MesaZona blog featured in a post on Feb 11, 2016 the same "news" about Socious gathered from public sources and news alerts.
 

This quarter's newsletter starts off as it usually does with Office of Economic Development's director Bill Jabjiniak's writing in The Quick Jab.

An interview with one of Mesa’s newest tech companies: Socious

Along with adding 13 employees last year, Socious averaged 24 percent revenue growth per year over the past six years.

[Blogger's note: that kind of growth is difficult to maintain]

Readers can view the whole interview here

Website: www.socious.com

Visit www.mesaaz.gov/economic for the latest news

 

Next section: HIGHER EDUCATION ROUNDUP 

Highlighting the six educational institutions here mostly about healthcare scholarships to lower the costs, associate and bachelor's degrees in nursing, medical translation, the arts, and finance.

Are these schools struggling to enroll students?

No details about "talks" for ASU Mesa, with a June 10 deadline.

Contestants shine during SparkTank at A.T. Still University

A.T. Still University’s (ATSU) Teaching & Learning Center recently held SparkTank event, a live show-style competition encouraging teaching and learning on the Mesa, Arizona campus.  A play off of the reality show "Shark Tank," SparkTank featured individual contestants and teams who pitched their ideas to a panel of judges for the opportunity to win $5,000 in project funding.

ATSU will continue SparkTank annually to encourage collaborative efforts from the entire University community for the benefit of teaching and learning. www.atsu.edu

 

Benedictine University at Mesa announces new academic programs and scholarships for city employees, area students

The University has also announced the addition of three new minors – Catholic Studies, Medical Spanish and Medical Spanish Interpretation

In addition, Benedictine has partnered with Kaplan Schweser to offer a nine-month Certified Financial Planner (CFP) certificate program, which is not available any place else in the Southwest.

 

Mesa Community College’s new website makes on-campus arts more accessible to the community

Mesa Community College (MCC) launched a new website, The Arts at MCC (www.mesacc.edu/arts), to make it easy for members of the community learn about and attend events ranging from live music, dance, instrumental and theatrical performances to fine art shows featuring student, faculty and visiting artists, sculpture, digital, and painting works.

 

NAU providing nursing programs at half the cost in Mesa 

Northern Arizona University (NAU) has served Mesa residents for over 30 years with innovative and high quality degree programs that are convenient and affordable for today’s working adult. Today, NAU educates approximately 1,300 students, online and locally, through two locations – one in Downtown Mesa and the other on the campus of Mesa Community College at Southern Ave. and Dobson Rd.

Maricopa Community Colleges and Upper Iowa University partner in concurrent enrollment nursing program

Maricopa Community Colleges have partnered with Upper Iowa University to provide nursing students with a concurrent enrollment nursing program that allows students to obtain an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) and work toward a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) simultaneously.

 

Wilkes University announces new scholarships

Wilkes is pleased to announce new scholarship opportunities for students entering its undergraduate business programs.

Wilkes also announced $1,000 scholarships for members of the Achieving a College Education Program (ACE), which supports students with their transition from high school to community college. The Wilkes scholarship is open to students who are members of ACE with an associate’s degree earned from one of the Maricopa Community Colleges.
In addition, Wilkes recently announced the extension of its $5,000 Founders Scholarship.
For information on all scholarship opportunities, visit www.wilkes.edu/Arizona or contact Ryan Hess at (480) 878-4407 or ryan.hess@wilkes.edu.

 

On The Sidebar: MESA IN THE NEWS Top Stories [all from already published media]

RANKINGS & ACCOLADES

EDUCATION

AEROSPACE / AVIATION

TECHNOLOGY

TOURISM & AMENITIES

DOWNTOWN MESA

REDEVELOPMENT

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

INTERNATIONAL

 

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

GPEC to host Health and Biomedical Reverse Pitch Event
June 2, 2016, the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) will host an event where the region’s leading healthcare providers will “reverse pitch” their healthcare delivery needs to an audience of innovative companies. Audience members will then be invited to present ways to solve these needs. The event provides a unique opportunity for B2B connections, as well as showcasing the innovation in the Greater Phoenix healthcare and biomedical sectors.

NEDCO’s Business Growth Series a success
At the end of 2015, Neighborhood Economic Development Corporation (NEDCO) graduated the first class of the Business Growth Series. Led by Stoney-Wilson Business Consulting, this six-week long development series targeted a handful of up-and-coming businesses in Downtown Mesa.
Experts helped create the curriculum, which focused on developing business plans, projecting and maintaining healthy financials, and preparing businesses to access capital. As a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), NEDCO has provided small business loans to some of the participating businesses.
The first graduating class was honored to have as graduation speakers Arizona Senator and founder of SkyMall, Bob Worsley and his wife, Christi Worsley.
The series was a part of NEDCO’s Light Rail Business Assistance Program funded by the City of Mesa. www.nedco-mesa.org

Visit Mesa launches Fresh Foodie Trail, culinary tourism gaining in popularity

Visit Mesa has launched the Fresh Foodie Trail, a self-guided route that connects many of the culinary-themed attractions in the city with those in our neighboring towns of Gilbert and Queen Creek. Visit Mesa has packaged this burgeoning tourism product in a new Agritourism Guide to not only promote Mesa’s treasured heritage of family farming, but also educate visitors on the in-demand experiences that can only be found in the East Valley.

Visit Mesa’s new guide is available for download at VisitMesa.com 

Hard copies can be picked up at the Mesa Visitors Center (120 N. Center St.).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please click here to enjoy the 2nd Quarter 2016 Economic Reporter Newsletter– a quarterly newsletter produced by the City of Mesa Office of Economic Development