Study ranks Portland among top 3 creative cities in U.S.

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — If you’re a creative working in the Rose City, you’ve come to the right place. According to a recent study from Workamajig, Portland is the most creative city in Oregon and the third most creative city in the U.S.

To rank the best places in the U.S. for creatives, project management software company Workamajig first listed each major American city with a population of over 100,000 people. Then, the researchers evaluated factors such as the museums per capita, the number of artists and musicians per capita and the number of film and music festivals per capita.

“The study ranks each city based on the state of its creative economy: determining which metropolis had the highest access to creative talent along with factors that instill a creative atmosphere, analyzing access to activities that spark creativity and innovation,” Workamajig said.

All of those factors earned Portland its No. 3 ranking on the list of creative cities, right behind Atlanta at No. 1 and Miami at No. 2. Cities including Los Angeles, Chicago and Lansing, Mich., round out the top 10.

Because of Portland’s reputation for being weird and artsy, Workamajig said that the city is a hub for all types of artists. This is supported by the many events and locations where Portlanders can look at, listen to or make their own art.

Outside of places like the Portland Art Museum, Jordan Schnitzer Museum or the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, there are still several spots around town to look at murals and street art. The Alberta Arts District is one neighborhood that’s lined with paintings, and the Portland Street Art Alliance even has its own map that helps people find street art.

Workamajig recognized Portland for its music scene, too.

“Also known as the west coast’s capital of the blues — and with one of America’s hottest metal and hip-hop scenes — the City of Roses is a haven for music lovers,” the company said. “Home to indie-rock darlings and renowned artists alike, Portland has its fair share of talent and famed music festivals, including the Waterfront Blues Festivals.”

The Waterfront Blues Festival may be one of Portland’s biggest arts and culture events, but others like the Portland Folk Festival, the PDX Jazz Festival and the Portland Film Festival are also why the city received a No. 3 ranking.