Strengthening our community through the Arts

Why should we invest in the arts?
Here are a few great reasons.

Positive economic impact

The arts industry attracts tourism dollars—today's fastest growing economic market in the country. Cultural tourism is the leading reason cited by travelers for visiting a community.

Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward, Madison's Schenks-Atwood neighborhood and Green Bay’s Broadway District are just a few examples of neighborhoods brought back to life by non-profit galleries and performance spaces. The arts draw restaurants, retailers and new residents, stabilizing neighborhoods while creating jobs and tourist destinations.

In Wisconsin, the non-profit arts industry alone generates $289 million annually in economic activity.

According to Americans for the Arts and Dun and Bradstreet, there are currently 8,896 creative for-profit and not-for-profit businesses in Wisconsin, encompassing 44,284 jobs.

A vibrant arts community is critical when corporations decide where to locate, and when people decide where to work, according to John Naisbitt, author of Megatrends.

A national survey conducted by the Conference Board, an organization of top corporate officials that tracks economic trends, found the availability of cultural activities ranked third among the concerns of large businesses.

Amery, a town of 3,000 in northwest Wisconsin, attracted a Mayo Clinic-affiliated medical center due in part to the presence in the community of the nationally-acclaimed Northern Lakes Center for the Arts.

Quality of education

A study done by University of California, Irvine proved that a link exists between music and human intelligence. The authors state, "music trains the brain for higher forms of thinking."

High-tech industry leaders seek employees who possess the skills provided by an arts education, because these skills have been proven to increase cognitive development; inspire motivation and discipline; develop confidence and inventiveness; and hone communication and problem-solving skills.

Children who study the arts continue to outperform non-arts students on the Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SATs). According to a study conducted by the College Entrance Examination Board in 1995, students who studied the arts more than four years scored 59 points higher on the verbal and 44 points higher on the math portions of the SATs than students with no coursework or experience in the arts.

An analysis of the U.S. Department of Education's database of 25,000 students revealed that those students with high levels of arts participation outperform "arts-poor" students by virtually every measure.

In addition to strengthening young people's capacity to learn, engagement in the arts allows young people to have positive outlets for their boundless energy and imagination. By cultivating their joy, talent and voices, Wisconsin's young people are better prepared to assume their roles as productive and creative citizens.

Social capital

The arts encourage the expression, refinement and exchange of ideas and strengthen democracy.

People enjoy the vibrancy associated with the arts, increasing the desirability of a place to live.

The arts provide a medium by which social capital, or a diverse sense of community, is enabled. They also help cultural groups explore and build on their heritage and share that heritage with others.

Arts activities help family members share positive experiences, discover new talents and ideas, and grow together.

Source: Arts Wisconsin