Life with the Muse©: The Economics of Art My first memory is a musical one. I’m about 9 months old and just waking up from a nap. It is summer; late afternoon shadows are shape-shifting on the mellow yellow walls of my upstairs bedroom. And I’m humming. For the next eighteen years or so, my parents encouraged and endured my never-ending curiosities about music, art, and far-flung cultural landscapes. A hodgepodge of musical instruments, sheet music and songwriting notes, hula hoops, books, lava lamps, posters, magazines, albums and stereo equipment littered my basement domain, along with a continuing medley of like-minded nefarious friends and acquaintances participating in frequent jam sessions, borderline music-making and sporadic performances. But it wasn’t until I was late into my thirties that my father, a businessman, actually referred to what I do as a business. “This is how we do things in real estate development,” he began, responding to one of my questions about contracts and marketing, “but I don’t know how it’s done in your business.” America’s non-profit arts industry creates over $134 billion in economic activity every year, and this includes direct spending by arts organizations ($53.2 billion) as well as secondary spending by arts audiences ($80.8 billion). The arts constitute a major engine of the United States economy, generating income, jobs and tax revenue. Providing nearly 5 million full-time jobs and $89.4 billion in household income, the arts comprise a greater percentage of the United States workforce than is employed by doctors, lawyers and accountants. For artists, arts organizations and their respective communities, The Business of Art can be serious business indeed. Some policy-makers, however, disagree, believing that art is a luxury serving only a privileged elite. With hard times calling for hard measures, arts and culture programs are often the first to be slashed from budgets teetering beyond the edge of reason. When policy-makers are making critical needs assessments, it is crucial for them to understand the financial impact of the arts. Federal, state and local governments spend about $3 billion on the arts every year. By comparison, the non-profit arts industry generates $24.4 billion annually in federal, state and local tax revenues. So the financial return on the government’s investment in the arts is better than eight times its original expenditure. If policy-makers cut arts spending, then who will make up for the lost revenues, lost jobs and lost economic activity? The benefits of supporting arts, culture and entertainment-related events make sound fiscal sense for communities. Besides pumping hard, cold cash into the government’s coffers, the arts directly and indirectly impact local economies. Non-profit arts audiences pump 80 billion dollars into local restaurants, accommodations, parking lots, gas stations and retail stores. Waitresses, hotel and hospitality staff, convenience store clerks, vendors, parking attendants, and retail salespeople all experience enhanced economic benefits due to arts spending. According to The National Governor’s Association, the arts assist communities by generating economic vitality in under-performing regions through tourism, crafts, and cultural attractions; by serving as centerpieces for downtown redevelopment and cultural renewal; and by contributing to a region's "innovation habitat" by improving regional quality of life. In recent years, arts advocacy has largely centered on the impact of the arts on education and economic development. Less has been said about the intrinsic value of art and its fundamental power to inspire and enlighten, to portray and provoke, to communicate and connect. Although arts and culture are sometimes a source of controversy, they are more often a delight and a known source of cultural identity, community vitality, enhanced creativity, educational superiority and personal growth. How do we know of the great cultures of history? We are the direct beneficiaries of their artists, artisans, storytellers and musicians. Through their lenses we are better able to see ourselves and look to the future. While the gifts of Pompeii, Egypt, Greece and China are obvious, it is more difficult to recognize, value and preserve our own voices. Creating, enjoying, providing, supporting and participating in arts experiences solidify the past, actualize the present and nurture the future. Sources Americans for the Arts. Arts and Economic Prosperity: The Economic Impact of Non-Profit Arts Organizations and Their Audiences National Governor’s Association. The Role of the Arts in Economic Development. Elizabeth Strom, Rutgers University. Strengthening Communities through Culture. Monthly Muses My Muses this month include: Books: John S. Dacey, Kathleen H. Lennon. 1998. Understanding Creativity: The Interplay of Biological, Psychological and Social Factors. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Music: Etta James. Heart of a Woman. 1999 Private Music, a division of the Windham Hill Group. Art: The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Work: Barbara Winter Seminar, Colorado Free University. Making a Living Without a Job. www.barbarawinter.com Travel: Barbara Winter Seminar, Colorado Free University. How to Support Your Wanderlust. Just in time to start planning for Italy, Vienna and Santa Fe. Yippee!! Thought: Creativity theory is mind-boggling, heart-rending, consciousness-lifting, time-warping, earth-shaking, and it seeds the quantum field. Sheesh---I’m tired!
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