Why the Arts Matter

Like many artists I have a 9-5 job. I work in the philanthropy sector, which has given me some insight into how grantmakers think (especially those who give money to the arts). As the economic crisis has taken hold I have seen its affects on both the arts and philanthropic sector.

Like many artists I have seen what happens during lean times: the arts are first on the chopping block.

So I am very glad to see Jim Canales, the CEO of the James Irvine Foundation (a very big supporter of the arts), making the case for why the arts is an essential part of our communities and our economy.

Last week Jim wrote an article featured in the SF Chronicle. Here are some of the highlights (emphasis mine):

• In the Bay Area, the arts create more than 31,000 jobs and generate $1.2 billion in economic activity every year.
• The arts produce $105 million in local and state tax revenue for the Bay Area (far more than the government spends on the arts).
• Surveys report that 93 percent of parents believe that the arts are essential to a well-rounded education.
• Ten million new jobs in the next decade will be in the "creative class," according to economist Richard Florida. These are jobs that involve imagination and ingenuity which are best developed by experiencing the arts.

Read the full article online.