Immersion in Buzz or Withdrawal to Solitude? Artists’ Creative and Social Strategies in Urban Settings

Abstract

Expectations of bohemian inclinations of artists and their need to immerse in buzz shape the popular image of artistic professionals and often become a point of departure for public policies. The aim of our study, moving beyond preconceived notions on artists’ social and spatial preferences, has been to take a more nuanced look at artists’ attitudes toward buzz and its presence in urban settings. Drawing on the results of a research project conducted in two Polish cities, we have considered to what extent buzz is indeed an important artistic resource in contemporary urban centers and in what locations and types of spaces it is experienced by artists. We have also taken into account artists’ use of the opposite of buzz, that is, silence and solitude, in their urban creative strategies as well as analyzed what factors impact on the diversity of artists’ attitudes, needs, and strategies toward buzz-rich environments. Research findings point to the complexity of artists’ strategies toward buzz which might in turn translate into specific spatial strategies and choices they make within cities.