Turn The Tide

Over 1500 people will gather in Raleigh on Monday and Tuesday for the Institute for Emerging Issues Forum on Creativity.  ARTS North Carolina, the North Carolina Arts Council, and the Department of Cultural Resources have all had a hand in the outcome.

 

It's your turn now.  On Tuesday, there will be a powerhouse session led by Governor Jim Hunt entitled Graduating Creativity.  Right this minute, go to this website, www.ncsu.edu/iei , and under the header click on "weigh in".  Be heard.  Let your passions, thoughts, questions, data, research, and keen knowledge help shape the course of this session.

 

You can also live stream the conference next week by logging on to www.emergingissues.org.  Be awed by the convening of thought and creativity that is North Carolina's future.  Arts = Education = Creative Economy is our mantra, and you can be assured it will be uttered frequently next week.

 

Take action now.

Arts Accessibility and Inclusion Workshops

Arts Access, in partnership with the North Carolina Arts Council, is offering arts organizations across the state the opportunity to learn more about accessibility for people with disabilities. Gather with others in the field seeking information and resources for achieving accessibility to share experiences and learn methods that will build a foundation to support access and inclusion in the arts. In collaboration with the United Arts Council of Catawba County and the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County, the Arts Accessibility and Inclusion workshops are scheduled in Hickory on March 9th and 10th and in Raleigh on March 16th and 17th.  Join us for one or both of the workshop dates in the location near you.

The registration fee for one workshop day is $25 per person. If you choose to attend both workshop days, your total registration fee is $40 per person. Lunch is included in the registration fee. To register, visit http://ncarts.org/elements/docs/artsaccess_regform.pdf and download the registration form. If more than one person from your organization is attending, each person must complete a separate registration form. Please mail the completed registration form, along with a check made out to Arts Access, Inc., to:

Arts Access, Inc.
Access Workshops
PO Box 10574
Raleigh NC 27605-0574

For questions about the workshops or accommodations, please contact Catherine Lavenburg at the N.C. Arts Council, catherine.lavenburg@ncdcr.gov or 919/807-6501.

To learn more about Arts Access, Inc., please visit www.artsaccessinc.org.

ARTS Day 2010 - Mark Your Calendars Now!

ARTS Day 2010 will be held May 18 & 19, and more than any year in our history, it is imperative that people come to Raleigh and demonstrate their support for public funding for the arts.  Since 2010 is an election year, it is essential to establish the presence of arts in election issues.

Did you know that all North Carolina Senators and Representatives must be re-elected every two years?  

Special plans this year are underway to host the May 18th workshop and opening reception at North Carolina's international destination, the "new" Museum of Art, featuring a gift of 36 Rodins and a stunning expansion of the state's collection.  Mark your calendars now! More information soon!

ARTS North Carolina gives a huge new year shout of appreciation to ARTS Day 2010 Sponsors.

Lead Sponsors include:
Arts and Science Council, Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County, Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, Brevard Music Center, Flat Rock Playhouse, North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, North Carolina Museum of Art, North Carolina Symphony, and North Carolina Theatre Conference.  

Supporting Sponsors include:
Cherokee Historical Association, North Carolina Museums Council, North Carolina Writers' Network, United Arts Council of Greater Greensboro, and United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County.  

We give a special thank you to Audio & Light in Greensboro and Hillco in Kinston for serving as Major Business Sponsors of ARTS North Carolina for 2009-2010.  

Sponsors will be featured on ARTS North Carolina's home page, and only members are eligible to become ARTS Day sponsors.  For more information, contact Karen at 919/834-1411 or karen@artsnc.org.

If the Arts Are Such An Economic Driver, Why Is It So Difficult To Obtain Support?

All of us have seen the studies and reports:

Nationally, the nonprofit arts and culture industry generates $166.2 billion in economic activity every year—$63.1 billion in spending by organizations and an additional $103.1 billion in event-related spending by their audiences. Additionally the nonprofit arts and culture industry provides:

• 5.7 million full-time equivalent jobs
• $104.2 billion in household income
• $7.9 billion in local government tax revenues
• $9.1 billion in state government tax revenues
• $12.6 billion in federal income tax revenues

(Source: “ARTS & ECONOMIC PROSPERITY III” – Americans for the Arts)

In North Carolina, the creative industries contributed more than $3.9 billion in wages to the state economy and employed over 159,000 people.
(Source: “Creative Economy: The Arts Industry in North Carolina” – NC Arts Council)

The craft industry in the 25 counties of Western North Carolina provides an annual economic impact of over $206 million per year.
(Source: “ECONOMIC IMPACT of the Professional Craft Industry of Western North Carolina” – Handmade in America)

“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.”
(Source: “ARTS & the ECONOMY – Using Arts and Culture to Stimulate State Economic Development" National Governors Association)

I don’t think there is any argument that the “creative industry” is in fact a significant economic driver… at the national, state and local level. If that is the case, why then is it so difficult to get support (not just financial) at all levels of government and from many parts of the private sector? I believe there are a number of reasons for this “disconnect”.

One reason is confusion in defining what is being measured… in other words, what is this “industry”. Is it the broadly defined “creative industry” or is it “arts”, “cultural”, “crafts” or other identifiers? Is it both non-profit and for profit organizations? Is it individuals and corporations? When you talk about the “bio-tech” industry… most folks have a fairly good idea of what it is, even though it covers a very broad range of activities.

A second reason for the “disconnect” is a lack of unity because of the "industry's" great diversity. While there are many organizations that represent various aspect of the “creative industry”, there is no broad “over riding” group or organization. Back to “bio tech”… there is the Biotechnology Industry Organization as well as the local, state and national Chambers of Commerce that represent virtually all biotech companies on a variety of topics and issues.

I believe there is a third reason for the “disconnect” and that is while there are a number of very good plans and strategies for certain segments of this “creative industry”, there is no single “plan” or “strategy” for the over all “creative industry”.

So what should we do about all of this? We know that our current economic situation is certainly not going to allow for significant additional funding or growth in virtually all areas of our society. However, it does not preclude us from doing the planning for the future. An effort like this must be a “tops down” effort. With forward thinking folks like our current Secretary of Cultural Affairs, Linda Carlisle and our Secretary of Commerce, J. Keith Crisco, I believe now is the time to address this opportunity on a statewide basis. I believe a good starting point is the National Governor’s Association’s recent paper, “ARTS & the ECONOMY – Using Arts and Culture to Stimulate State Economic Development" (http://www.nga.org/Files/pdf/0901ARTSANDECONOMY.PDF)

Additionally, we can certainly learn from the experience of others… Austin and the state of Texas, Arizona, Portland, Oregon and others. If we are going to truly benefit from the fact that the Creative Industry is an Economic Driver, it is up to us in the industry to lead the way.

Phil Atwood
Asheville, North Carolina

What Does It Mean to Have an Arts Experience?

The NEA’s recently released research, Arts Participation 2008, begins with a quote from John Updike:

“Whatever art offered the men and women of previous eras, what it offers our own, it seems to me, is space – a certain breathing room for the spirit.” (http://www.arts.gov/news/news09/SPPA-highlights.html)

Updike’s quote proves my point that people have been blogging for eternity, and we simply have a new medium for dissemination.

And so it is appropriate that my “first” blog post consider the facts of what we didn’t need facts to tell us. Adult attendance at arts events declined for virtually all art forms in 2008. Wait! It must have been the economy. Nope. Participation rates have been trending down over the past six years.

Admittedly, the NEA is still trying to figure out how to measure and compare historical (some would say hysterical) stats with new media. But here’s a fact we cannot avoid: age ranges 45-54, a large component of arts audiences, showed the deepest decline in attendance for most arts events, ranging from -29% to -43%.

The only relevance of this study is opportunity. I will use these stats to justify arts education policy. If you don’t get it early you are far less likely to get it later, and just what does that do for our creative economy? A colleague of mine plans to use the stats to encourage (did I say push?) research and development of new arts applications and technology.

But perhaps the most beneficial use of the NEA study is to tie these numbers like a string to the back of our heads and pull slowly up, out of the sand, to find that room to breath. It’s virtually impossible to live expectantly, think creatively, and lead in innovation if our chins are resting not so comfortably on our chests. When was the last time you had a conversation centered on the study’s fundamental question, “What does it mean to have an arts experience?” There’s no time like the present and no place better than responding here and now.

Karen Wells
Executive Director