The Link Between Art And The Economic Health Of The Community

We live and breathe art every single day.

Each and every one of us enjoys art of one form or another on a daily basis. We get into the car — we turn the radio on. We hop on the subway — we have our headphones on. What do we want to do when we just want to stay home and relax? Watch a movie. I love to sit down with a nice cup of tea and read a book. I have family and friends, and I bet so do you, who act and sing and dance and paint. Some people draw, some rap. Others use a camera as their tool of choice. At the end of the day we/they have all produced art.

From the walls of caves to the walls of galleries.

Prior to civilization art was used as a way to communicate, a way to pass down stories and information to following generations. Yet somewhere along the way we as a society began to lose sight of the importance art not only plays in our lives but in our communities as well. The impact the creative arts has on our lives and our community is astronomical yet it accounts for only 4.2% of the GDP.

Artists impact a community in the same way as entrepreneurs.

Data released by the National Endowment for The Arts shows that the arts contributed well over $760 billion to the economy of our country in 2015 alone. More so than transportation…