Nonprofit arts in Paducah is an annual $27.5 million industry supporting 991 jobs. That’s according to a national study from national advocacy group Americans for the Arts.
The study, which assessed the year 2015, found $1.7 million generated in local and state government revenue and that a wide majority of those spending money are from non-local citizens.
The study looked at local nonprofits and doesn't include for-profits or $25 million generated from AQS QuiltWeek -according to a 2014 state study.
Americans for the Arts Vice President of Research and Policy Randy Cohen recently presented the findings at a Paducah Chamber of Commerce breakfast. Paducah was one of 341 communities selected for the nationwide survey. The survey also found Louisville's nonprofit arts are a $462.5 million industry and Fayette County generates more than $32 million.
Cohen said he wants to expand conversations about arts nonprofits as not just a charity but as an ‘industry’ and a ‘cornerstone’ of tourism.
"We appreciate the arts, they improve our quality of life. But the fact is they are businesses. They employ people locally, they purchase goods and services in the community, they're members of the chamber of commerce, they're involved in the marketing and promotion of the city and the region. Arts organizations are good business citizens," Cohen said.
Cohen said a message for elected leaders is that the arts create and attract a skilled workforce from musicians and curators - to accountants, auditors, engineers and marketers. He says officials and business leaders should work to create friendly policies where the arts can thrive.
“Workers these days, they're looking for creative places to live. Cool cities to live and work in. And being a creative, culturally vibrant community is a big piece of that.”
Americans for the Arts found in 2014 all U.S. arts industries contributed $730 billion to the economy, or 4.2% of the GDP. So if arts add so much to the economy, why is there seemingly constant tension in state and federal spending for the arts?
Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin lowered funding for the Kentucky Arts Council in 2016 from just below $2.8 million to a little more than $2.6 million. President Donald Trump has proposed eliminating the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities who each received around $148 million, according to NPR. White House Budget Director Mick Mulvaney has suggested rural coal miners or single moms would agree to pay for more defense spending but not arts and public broadcasting.
On this issue, Cohen said, "Helping people understand the fuller value that the arts bring to a community is a big piece of helping turn that arts funding system around. It takes relentless messaging and communications to our community leaders. Helping them understand that the arts are providing more than community and quality of life benefits. They’re providing economic benefits and also social and educational benefits as well.”
Kentucky has invested tens of millions under Bevin's administration into bolstering the state's skilled labor force through programs like Work Ready Skills Initiative and Justice to Journeyman. All of those newly-trained workers will need places of employment.
Cohen argues people are looking for creative places to both work and play. "And those communities that have vibrant arts and culture to attend, to create personally with, are the communities that are going to compete well in the future in attracting these workers."
And, he said, businesses will go where they can find the workers.
