Within the urban economic development literature, there has been considerable debate concerning the role of ‘quality of place’ in attracting and retaining talent. Arguments have been polarized, however, between those suggesting that quality of place plays a key role in urban growth, and those arguing that jobs and production networks are more important. In this paper we reconcile the debates by emphasizing the productive function of quality of place. Drawing on a case study of fashion designers in Toronto, we examine the roles of diversity, tolerance, social services, and cultural dynamism in attracting and retaining talent, in fostering aesthetic experimentation, and in mediating some of the risks associated with cultural work.
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