By: Amanda Wagner
This article originally appeared as part of the story HEREandTHERE.live in the August 2019 issue.
The arts are about more than pursuing a dream. The arts add value wherever they are, through entertainment of course, but also by positively impacting the economy. And good “arts” business is good for everyone, especially our youth and the future.
GOOD BUSINESS
There are over 30,000 artists in the state of Minnesota and more than 1,600 arts organizations.
“A vibrant arts community is critical to how corporations decide where to locate, and how people decide where to work.” (Megatrends and Megatrends 2000, John Naisbitt)
The arts drive tourism, an increasingly important industry in Minnesota. Travelers who come from other areas for arts-related tourism also spend money shopping, parking, and in hotels and restaurants. Cultural tourists spend more money per trip than the average traveler — $614 per trip versus $425.
OUR FUTURE
Research shows that children who study the arts demonstrate stronger overall academic performance. These young people are the creative thinkers that employers need in our increasingly complex workforce.
Learning through the arts has significant effects on learning in other disciplines. Students consistently involved in music and theater show higher levels of success in mathematics and reading.
Workers with arts-related skills are critical to the industries of the new economy: software development and web design; advertising firms; automobile design companies; architectural and engineering firms; and other fields seeking employees with high-level communication, computer, and creative problem-solving abilities.
