Three essays were commissioned for the National Arts Policy Roundtable, co-convened annually by Americans for the Arts and the Sundance Preserve. The 2007 Roundtable focused on the challenge of preparing students to enter the workforce with the creativity and innovation skills that are essential to ensuring that American business will prosper. The essays in this publication are: Creating a Whole New World: Placing Arts and Education in the Center of the Flat Earth by Dr. Paul D. Houston; The Arts & Creativity in Education: Keys to American Economic Competitiveness in the 21st Century by Hamsa Thota, Ph.D.; and The Arts and Education: Changing Track by Sir Ken Robinson. Member Price: $5.00 Nonmember Price: $7.00
Economic Impact
NEA Artists in the Workforce Study 1990-2005
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) published Artists in the Workforce: 1990-2005, the first nationwide look at artists’ demographic and employment patterns in the 21st century. Artists in the Workforce analyzes working artist trends, gathering new statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau to provide a comprehensive overview of this workforce segment, its maturation over the past 30 years, and detailed information on specific artist occupations.
Promoting Film and Media to Enhance State Economic Development
This issue brief from the National Governors’ Association shows how states can foster thriving film, television and media arts industries. As governors continue exploring innovative strategies to grow their economies, states are increasingly looking to film, television and related media arts productions as a means of attracting high-paying jobs and related high-tech businesses. This brief summarizes the economic benefits of film production and includes examples of policies, incentives and special initiatives that states have used to attract film activity and cultivate local film and media arts assets. See press release. See issue brief. This is one of a series of issue briefson the economic importance of the arts.
The Role of the Arts in Economic Development
The $37 billion nonprofit arts industry is a potent force in economic development nationwide, according to an issue brief released by the National Governors’ Association (NGA). Blending summaries of economic impact studies, federal and state statistics and best practices, the policy brief details how governors and other state leaders can use the arts to unite communities, create economic opportunity and improve the quality of life. This report on the arts was prepared by the NGA’s Center for Best Practices, whose role is to provide governors with innovative ideas and examples of excellence in state government. This is one of a series of issue briefs on the economic importance of the arts.
Arts Help States Reap Rural Economic Gains
From Southern Appalachia to the Mississippi Delta and from California’s coast to Maryland’s eastern shore, states are turning to arts-based economic development strategies to revive rural economies stung by geographic isolation, infrastructure deficiencies and the flight of skilled workers to big cities, according to an issue brief from the National Governors’ Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center). Incorporating the arts into states’ existing rural economic development policy helps not only to diversify rural economies but to provide these previously struggling communities with a competitive advantage in the 21st century’s global marketplace as well. The brief, Strengthening Rural Economies through the Arts, documents how states utilize a variety of arts-focused policies to create jobs and improve quality of life. This is one of a series of issue briefs on the economic importance of the arts.
Arts Help Governors Achieve Global Trade and Tourism Goals
This issue brief illustrates how states are expanding international trade opportunities through culture. Case studies demonstrate ways that the arts encourage tourism, strengthen business networks, build “brand identity” and position states for success in a global marketplace. As new international trade and investment treaty negotiations by the federal government progress, governors will be called upon to promote their states’ businesses in a tight budget environment. Several states–looking for a greater edge in an increasingly competitive marketplace–are incorporating arts and cultural exchanges in their international trade and business development approaches. This aspect of state-level diplomacy undergirds and complements more traditional trade promotion efforts that focus on generating immediate exports. This is one of a series of issue briefs on the economic importance of the arts.
