A recent article in the Los Angeles Times titled “22 Ways You Can Help Arts Groups Devastated by Coronavirus Closures” offered practical suggestions of how you can support the financially vulnerable arts organizations shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Citing examples including purchasing memberships to your favorite museum, donating the cost of theater tickets for canceled shows instead of asking for a refund, becoming a theater subscriber, or purchasing books, CDs and DVDs online from independent book stores, it reminds us that art is a necessary part of life as it “can sustain humanity in its darkest hours.”
To help make the case, let’s look at why the arts are important. They enrich our lives, educate us, build bridges between cultures, and calm us in times of need. And they do a lot more.
The arts are businesses: in DuPage county alone, they provide full-time employment for over 15,000 workers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the arts sector is a $730 billion industry, which represents 4.2 percent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product. (GDP), a comprehensive measure of the U.S. economy and its growth.
DuPage County is right on target: the local creative industries account for 4.2 percent of the total number of businesses here and represent a larger share of the economy than transportation, tourism, agriculture, and construction.
Print shops, caterers, and marketing firms all depend on the arts for revenue. They work behind the scenes to build audiences for arts events – audiences that not only purchase tickets, but also support local restaurants with a pre-performance dinner or a few drinks afterward.
Theaters, galleries, and other brick and mortar venues pay utilities, hire plumbers, use cleaning services, and partner with contractors for renovations and expansions. The U.S. Postal Service and e-commerce benefit as well and all are in concert to create an enormous amount of economic activity.
Local arts organizations are now facing an uncertain future. Summer activities are in question and the crushing weight of lost revenue is threatening many of the smaller nonprofits. And until operations can resume on a robust level, the arts will continue searching for creative ways to survive and hope that those close to home will consider stepping up to offer support.
To find out more ways you can help the arts, visit www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2020-04-09/coronavirus-help-arts-groups-closures.
