Art for the Economy’s Sake

Alan M. Schwartz, President of Asset Management Solutions, reports on funding for the arts and arts education in California on foxandhoundsdaily.com. He noted that "creativity is California’s not-so-secret weapon... the Golden State’s economy has made a big comeback from the depths of the worst recession since the Great Depression. Employment has rebounded, the State’s fiscal picture has brightened and entrepreneurship is thriving. Creativity and innovation have been the driving forces behind much of this newly regained economic vitality. The folks in Sacramento would do well to remember this as they sort out the State’s budget priorities." Schwartz applied this concept of creativity to the funding for the arts and arts education: "These programs are often the first to be cut and the last to be restored. Too often in the political arena, arts and culture are looked at as luxuries and of interest only to elites. Nothing could be more wrong-headed."

Schwartz stated that the Otis College, sponsors of an annual report on the Creative Economy,  recently released a 2013 report showing just how big a deal the "arts" are in economic terms. The creative economy is made up of not only the performing and visual arts, but also games, toys, furniture and fashion. The report—prepared by the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation—describes what this all means in terms of jobs and income. In 2012:

* The creative economy accounted for almost 1.5 million jobs in California with a combined payroll of almost $100 million. That’s nearly one in ten jobs. These are among the highest paying jobs among major industry groups—often averaging six figures. The creative industries also generate some $13 billion in State and local taxes.

*Arts and culture also provide an intellectual spark and a climate that feeds ideas.  Theaters, museums, concert halls, galleries and clubs are also magnets for the kinds of creative minds that spur innovation and thinking outside the box. Math and science are critical, but they don’t cut it by themselves. State Senator Ted Lieu, who chairs the Legislature’s Joint Committee on the Arts, talks about the need for STEAM education—Science, Technology, English, Arts and Math. Certainly, the arts are an avenue for California to maintain a competitive edge.

Schwartz adds, "As much as I admire Governor Jerry Brown’s stewardship and fiscal prudence, I must admit disappointment that his initial 2014-15 Budget proposal did not call for a restoration of funding for the California Arts Council. A $5 million Budget does not give the Arts Council enough to meet the need for grants to local arts organizations. It is ironic that California—one of the world’s greatest centers for the arts and cultural innovation—ranks at the bottom of states when it comes to per capita grant funding for the arts. Senator Lieu and others have been advocating a greater investment in the arts and in arts education. You’d think in a $100 billion Budget, the State could find more than table scraps for programs that add so much to our economic vitality and our quality of life."