Art & Stuff

The Arts Mean Business In America

I would like to explain just how cultural arts impact a community. First let me start by telling you that the nonprofit arts industry generates $134 billion in total economic activity by arts organizations and their audiences. That is more than the gross domestic product of most nations in the world. This spending supports 4.9 million full-time equivalent jobs. That is a greater percentage of the U.S. workforce than is employed as accountants, lawyers, physicians, or computer programmers.

Our industry also generates $24 billion in federal, state, and local government revenues annually. By comparison, federal, state, and local governments collectively spend less than $3 billion on support for the arts each year, a financial return of more than 8-to-1.

When governments reduce their support for the arts they are undercutting a nonprofit industry that is a cornerstone of tourism and downtown revitalization. When governments increase their support for the arts, they are generating tax revenues, jobs and the creative energies that underlie much of what makes America so extraordinary.

If we don¹t support our arts community who will make up for the lost economic activity they provide. Who will attract tourists to our community? Who will vitalize our downtowns seven nights per week? Who will provide the 8-to-1 return on investment that the arts provide to federal, state, and local treasuries? When I stated in the beginning that arts mean business, this is not a slogan. it¹s an economic reality that can no longer be dismissed.

Gary Lockwood
Founder/Artistic Director
Standing Rock Cultural Arts

Art Trickle Down In The Local Economy

The way that Art Trickle Down works is very simple. Take this example. You are taking your wife out to see a chamber orchestra at The Kent Stage here in downtown Kent Ohio. You buy two tickets which in turn helps pay for the facility, wages of employees, taxes, advertising and such business expenses. You then take your wife out to dinner before the performance. That helps pay for the restaurant’s expenses and wages. After the performance you stop for drinks and fill the gas tank. The last thing is you pay the baby sitter, who in turn takes her money to the mall. And so the Art Trickle Down continues.

Over the past six years I have done an incredible amount of research on just what the cultural arts do for our cities and towns. I have not found one example where cultural arts were a negative. In all cases they brought success to areas of town that had little going for them, much like Standing Rock Cultural Arts did in the North Water Street area in downtown Kent. When we moved here in 1999 we were the only business except for Panini’s Bar and Grill. Now six years later there are no empty store fronts. The area is painted, maintained and is the thriving pulse of Kent’s downtown. This is just a small example of what community support can do. By “support” I don’t mean just donating dollars but also attending cultural events in Downtown Kent. Most of them are at no cost and they are always for the whole family. We can’t leave out The Kent Stage which is downtown and is the anchor for live music. It rates right up there with the very best in the country.

Now take into consideration the fact that cultural arts have a positive effect on our children. Research shows that young people who participate in the arts for at least three hours on three days each week for one full year are:
4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement
4 times more likely to win an award for writing an essay or poem
3 times more likely to win an award for school attendance
Read for pleasure nearly twice as often
Participate in youth groups nearly four times as frequently
Perform community service nearly twice as often.

Research also shows that communities with strong cultural arts programs have a more vibrant section of senior citizens. It gives many of our elders an outlet for talents that are often overlooked. And last but not least is that crime goes down. Kids that are regularly involved with the arts have fewer drug and alcohol related problems. They learn a more peaceful way to resolve problems by working with others on art projects. So as you can see, the arts play a very important part in our society and the more we have the better it is for folks of all ages. So it only goes to reason that to support cultural activities is to support a healthy community.

Gary Lockwood, January 2006
Artistic Director/Founder
Standing Rock Cultural Arts

July, 2003

Greetings once again, this month I would like to talk about EMPOWERMENT. In thinking about art and cultural activities in our community’s do you have enough? If not I would encourage all of you to let your elected officials know how you feel. Don’t forget that they work for us. They don’t give us a paycheck it is us that makes their paycheck possible. It is our right to question those that we have chosen to run our communities and it our right to remove them if they don’t do as the community asks. Write letters to the editor of your local newspapers expressing your concern. Go to city council meetings and ask to speak then voice your concerns and ask for answers. More than that follow up and make sure that they don’t just give lip service to you. If they know that the community is unhappy and that you won’t back down its then that our power as citizens comes into play. Too often those that govern say one thing and then do another. We can change that through voting in local elections. If you’re not registered to vote go and register that is how your voice can be heard. Run for office even if you don’t think that you can be elected. Your voice will be heard in the print media, radio and television. Talk art tell your neighbors to let their voice be heard. Another way for your voice to be heard is to form art councils and bring all the artist together. For then we will have a much larger voice. In a town that has four or five art organizations their voice is small. Together their voice becomes large and much more powerful. We need to take direct action for ourselves, stand up for what we want for us, our children, and our senior citizens. Remember that “To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.” Abraham Lincoln said that and it still applies to all of us today. Take back your power it is still a government of the people, by the people and for the people. So let’s stand together and let freedom ring. See you next month.

Peace through the Arts,
Gary

June 2003

Greetings everyone, I would like to talk about the sad state of our communities. With manufacturing on a down turn we have put up all the malls that we would ever need along with banks and drug stores. Now let’s look at a new and exciting way to turn things around. Cultural organizations; yes that is correct the ARTS. In Pittsburgh, Portland Oregon, Columbus Ohio, Ann Arbor Michigan the ARTS have had a great impact. More long term business in their down town, the rehabbing of old buildings instead of tearing them down, more tourists which translates into more dollars coming into their communities. With more business in town it means a higher tax base for local governments to work with. Add to that the ARTS are a positive way to make change. They encourage creativity and working together. They bring beauty to our towns and to our minds. Children that are involved in the ARTS get better grades, attended class more and are less likely to get into trouble.
Another benefit is that the ARTS attract hi-tech business. Hi-tech businesses are staffed from top to bottom with creative people. And they demand cultural activities for themselves and their families. I encourage people to go on the internet and research for themselves and look at the figures they are staggering.
The good news is that we can turn our communities around in the same manner as others have through the ARTS. Think about it and take action. Ask your city officials to look at cultural organizations as a way to really make a positive change in YOUR communities.

Peace through the ARTS,

Gary Lockwood, Artistic Director/Founder
Standing Rock Cultural Arts Inc.

June 2003

Once again Standing Rock Cultural Arts is thrilled to announce the addition to our staff of Carl Palmer. Carl is a two time Emmy Award winning Videographer that brings a whole new dimension to Standing Rock Cultural Arts. Carl has also won awards for production and for his educational programs. With the addition of Mike Hovancsek last fall and now Carl we feel as if we have a tremendously talented staff and are looking forward to a bright future here in Kent.

We also are pleased with the support that we are receiving from Townhall II, The Pan African Studies at Kent State and with the Kent State Theatre and Dance Department. We are trying to put into motion a melting together of town and university for the benefit of all who live here. We are working together on some very exciting programs that we think will appeal to a wide range of folks in our community. Plus we will be expanding our workshops through the rest of the year.

Lovers of art, unite! Tell Standing Rock Cultural Arts what you would like to see in your community and lets get together and make it happen. Tell city council that you want more cultural arts in your downtown. Tell the Mayor that you want more cultural arts in your community. Tell those who plan for our city that you want more cultural arts in your LIFE. See you next month.

Peace through the Arts,

Gary Lockwood Artistic Director/Founder

Standing Rock Cultural Arts