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    • Why You Should Support the Arts

    Posted on | January 29, 2009 | 1 Comment

    Many people tend to think of the arts as frivolous, pretty things to see, hear, read or do if you’re rich or on vacation. Some actually think the arts are simply unessential.  They’re all wrong.

    There are approximately 100,000 nonprofit arts organizations, which spend $63.1 billion annually. These organizations – ranging from large institutions like museums and orchestras to small community-based organizations in suburban, urban and rural areas – don’t just employ performers, artists and curators: they provide jobs for accountants, administrators, designers, plumbers, laborers, maintenance people, union workers and engineers.  In fact, arts organizations support more full-time jobs than those in accounting, public safety officers, and lawyers, and just slightly fewer than elementary school teachers.

    In a report released in mid-January, the National Governor’s Association stated:

    Arts and culture are important to state economies. Arts and culture-related industries, also known as “creative industries,” provide direct economic benefits to states and communities: They create jobs, attract investments, generate tax revenues, and stimulate local economies through tourism and consumer purchases.

    But arts organizations do more than help stimulate local economies – they significantly contribute to local culture and quality of life. Residents can experience and learn about the histories, traditions and aesthetics of people around the world, as well as of members of their own community with whom they may not normally interact.  Visitors can be exposed to aspects of a place they may not have been aware of, such as a small-yet-thriving cultural group or an alternative music scene. The “local flavor” that arts organizations lend to a community create a culture that frequently lures potential employers/employees to relocate to the area: cities with thriving creative communities like San Francisco and Austin often attract the best-and-brightest because of this.

    According to former NEA Chairman Dana Gioia, arts organizations, however, “have been hit enormously hard by the current recession. They’ve seen their support drop from corporations, foundations, and municipalities.” Experts expect that without an economic stimulus for the nonprofit arts industry, about 10% of these organizations will shut down in 2009 – a loss of  260,000 jobs. For those that manage to survive the recession, they’re expected to experience an average of up to 20% in budget cuts in 2009, resulting in a loss of approximately 468,000 jobs.

    So, SAVE THE ARTS! The House of Representatives recently passed the Economic Recovery Package 244 to 188 which successfully included $50 million in supplemental grants funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Americans for the Arts reports that this amount will provide critical funding to save 14,422 jobs from being lost in the U.S. economy.   This is based on the ability of the NEA to leverage every $1 of federal funding to $7 in additional support through local, state and private donations.

    To help save the nonprofit arts community, please ask your Senator to support this important legislation with their vote. You can easily do so here: http://budurl.com/arts. Just a minute of your time will help ensure that people keep their jobs, and that we all enjoy a better quality of life!

    Resource: Americans for the Arts

    Category: arts, help!, politics
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    One Response to “Why You Should Support the Arts”

    1. Letter to the Editor: American Recovery & Reinvestment Act 2009 - grace
      February 6th, 2009 @ 1:36 pm

      [...] blogged about “Why You Should Support the Arts” – but in light of recent media attacks on arts funding (see below), I thought it wise to [...]

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