The former mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg declared that “Cities must be Cool, Creative, and In Control”(1) .
In Bloomberg’s article he states that in an increasingly competitive
landscape, in order to keep and attract talent, being “cool” counts.
This further echoes the research conducted by Richard Florida in his
book, “The Rise of the Creative Class,”(2) highlighting how economic development and creativity are intertwined.

Fremont, which has been declared one of the most diverse Cities in America(3), is entering into its first stage of downtown development
to create a central place for the community to gather, and for its arts
and cultural scene to thrive. The City’s approach to place-making goes
beyond bricks and mortar. There is an understanding that it takes more
than a few buildings to define a place – it takes people.

By
injecting soul into the suburban landscape, Fremont is tapping its
underground arts and cultural scene and bringing it above ground. On May
17, two vacant storefronts and the parking lot of the Town Fair
Shopping Center in downtown Fremont were transformed into a hotbed of
creativity by FUSE – the Fremont Underground Social Experience.
FUSE is a collection of artists, performers, and indie retailers
showcasing and exhibiting their artwork and creative products.

Highlights
from the FUSE event included the “Before I Die” art wall, a community
art project by Fremont native Kriti Gupta; displays from Gooseneck
Bicycles, a Fremont-based local custom bicycle shop; a live painting of
“social vermyn” by John Hageman, and lifelike, yet cartoonish portraits
by Jett PeeMonster, both Fremont-based artists. There were also
intricate, impressionist-with-a-twist paintings by Michael Borja; and
leap-from-the-page works by artist Michael Foley. Adding to the
creative vibe was the South Bay Circus Collective who wowed the crowd
with their graceful Cirque Du Soleil-esque performances and impromptu
juggling lessons.

FUSE will be held every third Saturday of the
month, June through October (June 21, July 19, September 20, October
18), except the month of August. FUSE can be found on Facebook and
Twitter at www.facebook.com/FremontUnderground and on Twitter at @fremontundrgrnd. If you have any questions about participating in the event, e-mail fremontundergroundevents@gmail.com.

Footnotes:

1) Bloomberg, Mike. “Cities Must Be Cool, Creative, and In Control.” MikeBloomberg.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2014. http://www.mikebloomberg.com/index.cfm?objectid=59A629F1-C29C-7CA2-F05F457B91A5FB90. Originally in the Financial Times March 27, 2012.

2) Florida, Richard. “What Critics Get Wrong About the Creative Class and Economic Development.” CityLab. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2014. http://www.citylab.com/work/2012/07/what-critics-get-wrong-about-creative-class/2430/.

3) Youngdahl , Jay. “A Round of Applause for Fremont, USA.” . East Bay Express, n.d. Web. 23 May 2014. http://www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/a-round-of-applause-for-fremont-usa/Content?oid=1176987.