Economic Impact – The arts help communities to prosper as part of a well-diversified 21st-century economy. Along with nonprofit arts organizations, creative enterprises make significant contributions to state and local economies, generating employment and tax revenues and providing goods and services sought by the public, government, businesses, and tourists. i
Statewide Creative Economy Report: http://www.cac.ca.gov/artsinfo/economicimpact.php
Arts Education – Arts education in public schools comprises a rich array of disciplines including dance, music, theatre, media arts, literature, design, and visual arts; is a core academic subject; and is an essential element of a complete and balanced education for all students. ii
California Alliance for Arts Education: http://www.artsed411.org/
Arts Education Partnership: http://www.aep-arts.org/
Creative Placemaking – In creative placemaking, partners from public, private, non-profit, and community sectors strategically shape the physical and social character of a neighborhood, town, city, or region around arts and cultural activities. Creative placemaking animates public and private spaces, rejuvenates structures and streetscapes, improves local business viability and public safety, and brings diverse people together to celebrate, inspire, and be inspired. iii
National Endowment for the Arts: http://arts.gov/sites/default/files/CreativePlacemaking-Paper.pdf
Art Place America: http://www.artplaceamerica.org/resources/
Cultural Districts – A cultural district is a specific geographic area in a city or town that has a concentration of cultural facilities, activities and assets. It is a walkable, compact area that is easily identifiable to visitors and residents and serves as a center of cultural, artistic and economic activity. iv
Defining Cultural Districts: http://cac.ca.gov/files/CulturalDistrictsPresentation.pdf
How the Arts Spur Economic Development: http://www.westerncity.com/Western-City/May-2013/How-the-Arts/
Arts in Corrections – Providing arts experiences to institutionalized individuals is based in the belief that participation in the artistic process significantly affects a person’s self-esteem and general outlook on the world. Art workshops teach self-discipline, problem-solving, and concentration through absorption in a specific creative endeavor. The skills acquired through participation in the arts are translated to other aspects of one’s life and are essential to reducing recidivism. v
Research from the William James Association: http://williamjamesassociation.org/research/
Public Art – Public art is exactly that, art in public spaces. Public art can take a wide range of forms, sizes, and scales—and can be temporary or permanent. Public art can include murals, sculpture, memorials, integrated architectural or landscape architectural work, community art, digital new media, and even performances and festivals. vi
Resources from Americans for the Arts: http://www.americansforthearts.org/by-topic/public-art
Rural Arts – The arts are a sound rural development strategy. The arts help to address some of the unique challenges faced by rural communities, including geographic isolation, infrastructure limitations and population flight. The arts can boost rural employment and help to diversify rural economies by creating sustainable small businesses, improving quality of life for residents, and attracting visitors and investment. vii
Citizens’ Institute on Rural Design http://www.rural-design.org/
Arts Integration – An approach to teaching in which students construct and demonstrate understanding through an art form. Students engage in a creative process which connects an art form and another subject area and meets evolving objectives in both. viii
Defining Arts Integration: http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/~/media/ArtsEdge/LessonPrintables/articles/arts-integration/DefiningArtsIntegration.pdf
STEAM – The STEAM movement integrates arts with STEM education (science, technology, engineering, and math) sparking the interplay between left-brain convergent thinking and right-brain divergent thinking. ix
California’s STEAM Connect: http://steamconnect.org/
Business and Arts – Businesses play a key role in ensuring the health and vitality of the nation’s arts sector. Local business support for the arts can be driven less by a charitable focus and more by a focus on how the arts impact the communities in which their employees live and work. x
The pARTnership Movement: http://www.partnershipmovement.org/upload/web-files/other/partnership_8_Reasons.pdf