The arts and cultural resources of our area will be studied this summer through an economic impact study conducted by Minnesota Citizens for the Arts (MCA) and the East Central Arts Council, one of eleven regional arts councils statewide. The project, which will produce eleven regional economic impact studies as well as a statewide study, measures the economic impact of arts and culture organizations and audiences both locally and across Minnesota. The study began recently, and the results will be released to the public in January 2006.

Cities and states across the country seek to build ìcreative economiesî that are driven by the strength of creative people such as artists, designers, and innovators of all kinds. ìThe arts and culture are one of the things that define Minnesota, like our lakes and the great outdoors, drawing people here from all over the country. Minnesota is poised to be one of the leading creative economies in the country behind only New York and California, because Minnesota has a unique civic culture of public support for and participation in the arts,î said Sheila Smith, MCAís Executive Director.

The year-long study will be coordinated by MCA, while each of the stateís eleven Regional Arts Councils will manage audience surveys and the data release events in their own regions. Americans for the Arts, their national partner, will create the economic models for the study for each region and for the statewide study, and will provide secure web-based surveying tools.Ý

Mary Minnick Daniels, Director of ECAC, is looking forward to seeing the results for the region. ìIt is commonly argued during hard times that the arts are a frill. When budgets are slashed often it is the arts programs (music, theater, visual art) that are cut first. With this study we are examining one aspect of the impact of the arts: are arts projects simply a luxury or, in fact, are the arts essential to the economy? In other words is creativity a key to economic vitality?î

The types of non-profit organizations that will be studied include community and statewide organizations in the arts, historical societies, humanities organizations, and public broadcasting. Arts areas to be studied include dance, literary arts, music, theater, visual arts and artist service organizations.

ìIt is anticipated that the data collected from around the state will help support the case for increased public and private sector arts and culture funding in our communities and will generate significant statewide and local visibility for these important community assets,î said Smith.

The study consists of two parts:
1. A web-based budget survey for arts and culture organizations, and

2. An audience survey distributed to attendees at arts and culture events or exhibits. These surveys measure event-related spending by arts audiences and are extremely important. For example, arts attendees often eat a meal before the show, pay for parking, and purchase souvenirs. This spending has a measurable impact on the local economy ñ an impact that differentiates the arts from many other local industries. If you are asked to complete an audience survey, please take part.

So far, audience surveys in our area have been conducted at the St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour, Cambridge-Isanti Performing Arts Center, Franconia Sculpture Park, the Milaca Area Festival of Fine Arts, and other events in North Branch and Pine City.

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