Hin Bus Depot: a case study of creative sector entrepreneurship in the context of gentrification

Gentrification, a global phenomenon in many World Heritage Sites, induces displacement of long-term residents and causes erosion of local culture and heritage. Georgetown, a post-British colonial town in Malaysia, shares the same experience, especially on the growth of tourism and influx of external capital investment after its have been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008. In order to address the issue of gentrification in Georgetown that threatens to displace communities embodying the local culture, this research examines the role of Hin Bus Depot as a leading creative hub in Georgetown. The research starts from examining the development of Hin Bus Depot and its achievements and challenges through a combination of network analysis and qualitative methods. The research methods include semi-structured questionnaire and in-depth interviews with the management team regarding their entrepreneurial orientation and strategy, engagement with innovative practices and the relationships formed between the organisation and actors from the creative sector, the arts and local communities. Hin Bus Depot has developed into an internationally acclaimed space for innovative works including an art gallery and units for arts, craft and food entrepreneurs after the success of the first solo exhibition by artist Ernest Zacharevic in 2013. With the innovative business strategies, Hin Bus Depot forms a ‘Hin’ family with the local art community and is positioned as the focal point in a mini entrepreneurial ecosystem in which innovative developments gave the space the opportunity to provide a hub for young artists, creative start-ups, local residents and external visitors. Through the case of Hin Bus Depot in the Georgetown, Malaysia, the research contributes to the wider debate on understanding the strength and challenges of innovative social entrepreneurship for organisations in the cultural and creative sector, and how their network formation can develop a sustainable ecosystem.