http://www.google.com/search?q=%22highest+concentration+of+artists%22
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22best+places+to+live+for+artists%22

hehe

I am an ex St Martin's student. I don't walk around with a wellington boot on my head or a disposal camera in my hand, unfortunately, perhaps that is why the work is not absolutely flooding in!

Which St Martin's student put your nose out of joint? Or is it just some apocryphal story about a St Martin's student waltzing into a magazine and being booked on the spot for a 10 page spread + cover?

It's a bit of a generalisation, but don't take it literally as I was simply trying to paint a picture of a charecter. One I would presume you know well...

Actually, I don't recognise the caricature. What you are doing is blaming a particular group for your frustrations and disappointments. If the identity of a racial group were named in place of 'St Martins students' your comment could be perceived as racism.

At the very least it is discriminatory.

Yay Jackie C!

well...
from Spain it seems that such discussion is weird.
Here most designers, photographers, architects, etc., go to London to see what is happening.
Most even go with a photocopier under their arms and return whit a full loaded bag of copies.
Then, they are "the most creative ones in the world" a shame...

On the other hand, it is actually true that there is a feeling (flying over us all in the resto of the world -as I have known from other people in New York, Rome or Paris-) that St MArtins is like a designers or artist's manufacturer. It is not like the crafted art of a stonegraver building a unique gargoylle, but the massive production of -let's say- coffe spoons-.

It is like "Hey you oughtta go to St Martins, man!!!" Otherwise you're not gonna be a designer or an artist or whatever!!!

By the way, I am going to Paris on vacation just because I feel lazy for London. Maybe the overwhelming presence of design everywhere just makes me sick and end up questioning the design, the art, the "modern" things and clubs, etc... I found Paris much more exciting at the time...

Hey, my morning break in my not-StMartins-designers team-design studio is about to go...

Cheers!

For the love of god...

Oh wow, benmorris... is Charlie Brown!

Jackie C - it is a strawman. But what would conversation and writing be like without strawmen? Sometimes strawmen are needed to spice things up.

Poor Charlie Brown - I know where you are coming from but I have to say, being one who left London for warmer climes, you would miss it if you left. London has a certain vibrancy that only a handful of cities on the planet have - and yes unfortunately it is full of tossers but then so is everywhere. There may have been a creative drain in recent years but, as with all things fashion, this will no doubt be a cyclical event and in a few years London will be back on the scene - all it needs is one magazine to kickstart things.
My advice for what it's worth - if you are that disenchanted with London then move - try NYC. On the other hand, if you are just suffering from Grass-is-greener Syndrome, then I would suggest donning the Wellington Boot and dusting off the disposable camera.