The arts and the creative economy…

an investment for Wisconsin

Ideas | Resources | Action Steps

NEW North| December 8, 2009

• Mission: Wisconsin’s voice for the arts, culture, creativity and innovation

• Vision: We believe everyone, everywhere in Wisconsin should have the opportunity to participate in and benefit from the arts.

• Purpose: Advocacy, service and development, to keep Wisconsin thriving creatively

About Arts Wisconsin

Time of Transition• Business/industry people/human talent

(from industry to occupation)

• Physical infrastructure creative infrastructure

• Economic development community development

• Quality of life quality of place (what’s there, who’s there, what’s going on)

• Natural resources natural amenities

Trends in Economic Development

• Attraction• Retention• Expansion

…it’s all about investing in human talent and creativity. People are the main driver of economic development.

Wisconsin’s arts and cultural industry…

• A Local Industry

• Attracts Audiences

• Stimulates Business Development

• Supports Jobs

• Generates Public and Private Revenue

A new focus on creativity“Creativity is not new and neither is economics, but what is new is the nature and extentof the relationship betweenthem, and how they combineto create extraordinary valueand wealth.”

John HowkinsThe Creative Economy:

How people make money from ideas, 2001

“One of the major impediments to a more creative environment is the notion that creativity is not a serious enough activity for grown ups.”

Rance CrainAdAge.com

What is the Creative Economy?

• Creative industries• Creative workforce• Creative communities,

regions, states, countries•

…the intersection of the three is the Creative Economy.

Creative Industries• Museums and

Collectionso Museumso Zoos/Botanical Gardenso Historical Siteso Planetariums

• Design and Publishingo Architectureo Designo Publishingo Advertising

• Visual Arts & Photographyo Craftso Visual Artso Photographyo Supplies and Services

• Performing Artso Musico Theatero Danceo Operao Services and

Facilitieso Performers

• Film, Radio and TVo Motion Pictureso Televisiono Radio

• Arts Schools & Serviceso Arts Councilso School/Instructiono Agents

10,571 Arts-Related Businesses inWisconsin Employ 44,895 People

Economic impact of nationalnonprofit arts and cultural industry

$166.2 Billion Annual Expenditures

Economic impact of Wisconsin’s nonprofit arts and cultural industry

$418 Million in Annual Expenditures

Full-Time Equivalent Jobs 11,060

Resident Household Income $214 million

Local Government Revenue $18.6 million

State Government Revenue $25.7 million

Three Ways of Thinking About Cultural Vitality

1: Economic value of the arts/culture industry: counts, multipliers

2:

Economic Value of the Arts • Visitors

– Tends to focus on larger, formal, regional attractions: Navy Pier more visitors / year than all other leisure attractions in the State of Illinois COMBINED

• Establishments– Museums, arts centers, galleries, schools

• Employees

– professional artists, designers, writers, actors, dancers, choreographers

– arts administration, directors, technicians

Attractiveness of places

• attendance at “formal” arts events

• magnet destinations

• attracting “creative workers”

• attracting the “arts producers”

Component of community development

• informal arts participation– Parks, bars, town squares, bookstores– difficult to “statistically” measure

• contribution to “sense of place”– More ways for people to connect, more

sense of place

• importance of arts providers as investors and patrons

Why should we care?• Wisconsin’s (and the world’s) historical

industries and traditional economic development strategies can no longer compete in the 21st century economy.

• Traditional model, attracting business through tax incentives creative model, attracting talent through quality of place.

• Addresses Wisconsin’s “brain drain.”

• Many other communities, regions, states and countries are ahead of Wisconsin in creative economy planning and development.

Creative Economy Considerations

• Urban versus rural• Young versus old• Educational attainment• High tech versus craft and art• Mobility versus sense of place• Interplay of natural and cultural amenities• Role of tourism• Importance of retirement migration• Importance of second and seasonal homes

Creative Economy Models• Mazomanie, WI: cultural and heritage

tourism• LaCrosse, WI: Community Theatre project• Wisconsin’s Northwest Heritage Passage• Dubuque, IA: Welcome Back to Dubuque• Handmade in America, western North

Carolina• Creative New England• State of Queensland, Australia• New Zealand film industry• Ireland (the “Celtic Tiger”)

Paducah, KY’s “Artist Relocation Program”

What does Paducah offer?• Financial Incentives

– Loan-to-Value Ratios of up to 100%– Lower than market interest rates– Generous discounts on all closing costs

• Business Incentives– Health Insurance– Web sites at no charge– Local and national marketing and advertising

support• Cultural Incentives

– “An inordinate number of arts and cultural organizations and venues for a town its size.”

Community cultural development strategies

• Investment in the arts mean diversifying economy and expanding job base

• Arts, cultural and heritage tourism growth

• Quality of life as development tool• Strong artistic and cultural infrastructure

helps attract creative talent• Promote downtown revitalization

projects, affordable housing, etc.• Arts as part of civic agenda

Anne KatzExecutive DirectorArts WisconsinBox 1054 Madison, WI 53701-1054(608) 255 8316 (608) 255 0334 faxakatz@artswisconsin.org

www.artswisconsin.org