Halloween marked the end of October’s Arts DuPage Month. The 31-day county-wide celebration of the arts presented an opportunity to experience arts events enhanced with discounts and perks. It also brought out an awareness of the importance of the arts and their value to a region.
To kick things off, national arts advocate Randy Cohen came to DuPage County at the invitation of Arts DuPage, a DuPage Foundation initiative. Vice president of research and policy at Americans for the Arts, Randy produces the premier economic studies of the arts – Arts & Economic Prosperity, the national study of nonprofit arts organizations and their audiences. The guest host presented a compelling talk to artists, art leaders, art lovers, and community heads where he revealed the astounding results of the study.
Nonprofit arts and cultural organizations are responsible for $4.3 billion (yes, billion) of total economic activity annually in Illinois and generate $479 million in state and local governmental revenue.
“Sure, we appreciate the beauty of the arts,” Randy stated. “But most folks don’t realize that these are businesses. They employ people locally, purchase goods and services within the community, are members of the Chamber of Commerce, and are involved in the marketing and promotion of their regions. Arts organizations are good business citizens.”
So, let’s look at this. Naperville is an arts-conscious community that is home to museums, galleries, performing arts venues, and learning centers. These entities draw audiences that stop at restaurants, ice cream shops, and bars before and/or after their arts activity. (As an aside, people purchasing food and beverage in Naperville pay a tax that is allocated to the Special Events and Cultural Amenities Grant Program [SECA], something that further bolsters the city’s arts environment.) In addition, the arts organizations also use the services of builders, plumbers, accountants, printers, and personnel in many industries, thus helping to ensure the viability of local businesses.
Arts DuPage Month may be over, but the arts go on forever. With the holidays upon us, there are many offerings that will provide quality entertainment and will delight people of all ages. Take your friends and family on an arts adventure or two. Your gift will create lasting memories and impact the area in positive ways.
For more events and info, visit artsdupage.org or call at (630) 598-5299.
