RACC Blog

Groundbreaking Study Reveals Economic and Social Impact of Nonprofit Arts & Culture

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: OCTOBER 20, 2023

Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 Study Centers Equity in Economic Research and Highlights Vital Role of Arts and Culture in Building More Livable Communities

PORTLAND, OR. – The Regional Arts & Culture Council announced today that Multnomah County nonprofit arts and culture industry generated $400,700,004 in economic activity in 2022 in Multnomah County, according to the newly released Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6), an economic and social impact study conducted by Americans for the Arts. That economic activity – $400,700,004 in spending by nonprofit arts and culture organizations and $4,495,889 in event-related spending by their audiences supported 5,841 jobs and generated a total of $72,062,487 in local, state, and federal government revenue in the County. Spending by arts and culture audiences generates valuable commerce to local merchants, a value-add that few other industries can compete with.

Building on its 30-year legacy as the largest and most inclusive study of its kind, AEP6 uses a rigorous methodology to document the economic and social contributions of the nation’s nonprofit arts and culture industry. The study demonstrates locally as well as nationally, arts and culture are a critical economic driver of vibrant communities.

Nationally, the Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6) study reveals that America’s nonprofit arts and culture sector is a $151.7 billion industry—one that supports 2.6 million jobs and generates $29.1 billion in government revenue.

“Arts and culture organizations have a powerful ability to attract and hold dollars in the community longer. They employ people locally, purchase goods and services from nearby businesses, and produce the authentic cultural experiences that are magnets for visitors, tourists, and new residents,” said Nolen V. Bivens, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. “When we invest in nonprofit arts and culture, we strengthen our economy and build more livable communities.”

AEP6 represents a reset from its previous versions, establishing a new benchmark in the AEP study series.

  • Social Impact: For the first time, AEP6 expands beyond the economic and financial data to include social impact measurements of arts and culture’s effect on the well-being of communities and residents.
  • Equity and Inclusion: AEP6 broke new ground by prioritizing equity, community engagement, and inclusivity. With the goal of reducing systemic bias, Americans for the Arts transformed its approach and expanded the inclusion and participation of organizations serving or representing BIPOC- (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and ALAANA- (African, Latine, Asian, Arab, Native American) identifying communities.

Nationally, the extensive research reveals proportional economic and community impacts among attendees at BIPOC and ALAANA organizations to the overall national average. These findings should initiate new, and escalate existing, critical funding conversations about BIPOC and ALAANA organizations receiving fair and proportional financial support.

Key figures from the City of Portland’s AEP6 study include:

  • The City of Portland nonprofit arts and culture industry generates $4,589,494 in event-related spending by its audiences.
  • The typical attendee spends 36.45 per person per event, not including the cost of admission.
  • 32.1% of arts and culture attendees were from outside the county in which the activity took place. They spent an average of $55.21. All vital income for local merchants.
  • 87.2% of respondents agreed that the activity or venue they were attending was “a source of neighborhood pride for the community.”
  • 87.9% said they would “feel a sense of loss if that activity or venue was no longer available.”

By measuring arts and culture’s wide-ranging impact, public and private sector leaders can work together to secure funding and arts-friendly policies that shape more vibrant and equitable communities. The full report, a map of the 373 study regions, and a two-page economic impact summary for each, can be found at AEP6.AmericansForTheArts.org.

Read more and access study findings here. Join us on Monday, November 6th from 5:30 to 7:30 pm PST at Lakewood Center for the Arts, Lake Oswego for a a comprehensive exploration of Tri-County reports in collaboration with Oregon Arts Commission, Tualatin Valley Creates, and Clackamas County Art Alliance.

Virtual Engagement

Event Livestreamed on Zoom from 6-7 pm Register now!

Media Contact: Mario Mesquita, mmequita@racc.org

About the Regional Arts & Culture Council

An independent nonprofit organization, we support greater Portland’s creative economy by providing equitable funding and services to artists and art organizations; managing and growing our diverse, nationally acclaimed public art program; and developing long-lasting public and private partnerships.

For more information visit racc.org.

About the Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 Study

The Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 study was conducted by Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education. It was supported by The Ruth Lilly Endowment Fund of Americans for the Arts. Americans for the Arts’ 297 study partners contributed both time and financial support to the study.

For a full list of the communities who participated in the Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 study, visit AEP6.AmericansForTheArts.org.

The Arts Propel Communities Forward

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Laura Streib, AEP6 Coordinator

For the last year, RACC and Americans for the Arts have been connecting communities through arts and culture events throughout Multnomah County and the City of Portland.

By attending a myriad of events and connecting with attendees, as well as nonprofit organizations, we have been able to get a clear picture of what the arts landscape provides in terms of an economic recovery as we continue to emerge from the COVID-19 shutdowns.

One thing we found crystal clear from all the events we were able to attend is just how grateful people are to get out and be part of cultural events again. The need to be able to connect with others is deep and profound.

The results of the surveys provide incredible insight into how the arts and culture nonprofit sector specifically has been resilient in working hard to bring us together and continue to make Portland and Multnomah County the creative and unique place it has always been. A quick overview –

By the Numbers

  • 12,280 jobs and $6 million dollars in household income from working in the arts/nonprofit sector
  • $19.9 Million in local tax revenue generated
  • $25.5 Million in State tax revenue generated
  • $114.6 Million in Federal Tax revenue generated

The ripple effects out into the greater economy can be seen and felt in event-related spending that totaled $331.2 million dollars. When people go out to experience a play or concert or gather for a cultural experience – everyone benefits.

For example, the coffee shop or restaurant where someone stops before or after a show, the drinks enjoyed in the lobby, or the childcare spent to enjoy a night without the kids. All this adds up.

At one event we attended at the Old Church Concert Hall, we had a fascinating conversation with two friends who had driven down from Seattle to attend the sold-out concert. When they started filling out the survey, they realized all of the extra costs associated with what they thought was just a concert.

They paid for gas on their drive down to Portland, they stayed overnight in a local Airbnb, and they went out for dinner, drinks, and coffee. One individual bought a T-shirt from the concert and a vinyl record. Throughout our conversation, it became clear that the arts are an important driving force in our economy.

We know the world has changed dramatically since the last AEP study was released. The data from that last study has helped individual artists apply for grants, assisted organizations in strategic planning, and even shaped planning and policy in Troutdale. Those effects continue to resound today. Data from the AEP5 study was used by the Economic Development Coordinator in Troutdale to push their city leaders to extend the Troutdale Arts Festival into a weekend-long event that closed the main street in old town Troutdale. Having the data of the arts driving economy was the push the city decision-makers needed to implement this new festival which now draws thousands of people each summer. This has led to more concerts in the park, movie nights, and other cultural events throughout the summer in East Multnomah County.

Arts and Culture are major drivers of our economy and are something our city officials and elected leaders need to be mindful of as we continue to emerge from these continued uncertain times. As Oregon is ranked 41st in terms of public dollars invested in Arts and Culture, we need to do more to leverage the creative economy for the betterment of our communities.

The arts mean business in the Greater Portland area. 

Save the Date!

The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC), in collaboration with Oregon Arts Commission, Tualatin Valley Creates, and Clackamas County Art Alliance, is excited to unveil the recently released Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6) study, a comprehensive exploration from Americans for the Arts into how arts breathe life and dollars into our economy.

Join us on Monday, November 6th, 5:30 – 7:30 pm PST at Lakewood Center for the Arts, Lake Oswego (Map). Secure Your Spot!

Arts Education for All Act Announcement

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Immediate Release

September 27, 2023

The Regional Arts & Culture Council Re-Endorses The Arts Education for All Act (HR 5463) Co-Sponsored by Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR1)

Portland, OR – The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) is pleased to announce our endorsement and support of the reintroduction of the Arts Education for All Act in 2023, announced during National Arts in Education Week on September 15 by Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR1), and Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM). This Act will once again support and encourage arts education and programming for PK-12 students, youth, and adults involved in the justice system. The Regional Arts & Culture Council has engaged with numerous supporters throughout the past few years and we hope you will join us in once again supporting this important legislation. The newly established legislative Arts and Culture Caucus coordinated by Representative Rob Nosse (D-42) was launched earlier this year to emphasize the importance of arts and culture in Oregon. We know that arts education is a crucial component of that mission. At RACC, we support arts organizations and artists that make a difference in our community through their impactful engagement in the arts, and The Arts Education for All Act will only enhance these programs.

“The arts spark creativity, critical thinking, and empathy in students … These skills benefit and enrich students throughout their lives regardless of what path they take. It is unacceptable that there is less access to arts education for students from Black, Latino, and low-income families, especially when research shows that students who have arts education perform better in math, reading, and writing. I wrote the Arts Education for All Act to help address these disparities. And with student mental health as a top concern, the arts can help bring healing and wellness.”  –Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici

The Arts Education for All Act addresses these gaps in access to arts education and has the potential to improve the lifelong health and achievement of both children and adults. Arts education and programming can be federally funded under various existing programs; however, currently there is a lack of clarity and information available about how the funds can be used. If this becomes legislation, it will support and encourage arts education and programming for our youngest learners, and will also include youth and adults involved in the criminal court and justice systems. The bill also includes provisions that support rigorous arts and arts education research to continue to inform how elementary and secondary education outcomes are affected by a well-rounded education.

A one-page summary of the Arts Education for All Act can be found here. For a link to the press release issued by the Congresswoman, click here. CALL TO ACTION- if you want to endorse Arts Education for All, please add your name to the list here or email artsedu@racc.org. To read the full text of the bill click here.

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MEDIA CONTACT

Chanda Evans, Arts Education Manager, Regional Arts & Culture Council, cevans@racc.org

Communications at Regional Arts & Culture Council, comms@racc.org

Arts for All Program Increases Access and Outreach in Community

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The Regional Arts & Culture Council Announces a Relaunch of the Arts for All Program to Increase Engagement and Outreach in Our Community, and Beyond, Ensuring Arts & Culture Are Accessible for All

We envision a community that supports, engages with, and finds joy in arts and culture being accessible by all–not just those who can afford to pay, but also for those with limited resources. RACC wants opportunities to be available for all members of our community. We want people to be uplifted, enjoy arts and cultural events, and be part of the creative fabric of our state. The Arts for All program was conceived by a group of thoughtful arts leaders more than 10 years ago to ensure that everyone receiving assistance through the Oregon Trail Card/SNAP could attend arts and cultural events for $5 a ticket.

While the Arts for All program has flourished and steadily grown, we have seen that there is a need to increase its accessibility. To achieve our goals, we are relaunching the program with renewed engagement and outreach. Our goals include making the information downloadable from our website at www.racc.org and distributing printed materials throughout the region to hundreds of non-profit social service agencies, county and city government offices, schools, health departments and clinics, community centers, arts and culture organizations, and more. Program information will be available in six languages and will be at culturally specific locations.

Friends of Chamber Music was proud to be one of the founding member organizations of Arts for All back in 2011, and I’ve personally had the privilege of continuing to help coordinate the program for the last several years. It’s been so gratifying to see the impact Arts for All has had in making the arts accessible to all parts of our community and see it become a model for similar programs across the country.  – Pat Zagelow, Friends of Chamber Music Executive Director

The Arts for All program enables us to enjoy arts and culture together while ensuring access for all. Without the support and dedication of arts organizations in our community, this program would not be possible. We are thrilled to announce a new partnership with the Hult Center for Performing Arts in Eugene, Oregon. The expansion of the Arts for All program throughout the state ensures better access to arts and culture for all of our residents.

RACC looks forward to hearing the community’s response for this renewed launch and engagement opportunity for Arts for All. Please let us know how we can continue to ensure that access to arts and culture activities is available for all who wish to participate. Let us know how we can make this community-centered program better! – Carol Tatch, Executive Director, Regional Arts & Culture Council

The organizations who have joined RACC to ensure access to arts and culture in our community are listed at racc.org/artsforall. Please support these arts and cultural organizations any way that you can to show your support for arts and culture access for all. For more information, please email us at arts4all@racc.org.

Advocacy in Arts Education

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What do we want? Arts Education! When do we want it? Now!

This seems like the mantra every new school year, every budget season, and perennially from youth across our communities. They love art. They love the paint, the sticky glue on their fingers, the seasonal pumpkin sketches, and the field trips to performances and exhibitions. They love using scissors and cutting hearts out of red construction paper, school assemblies, showcasing their ceramics and photography in the halls, learning current media techniques, and most of all, they love the joy of being creative together.

Advocating for arts and culture in our community and schools is a full-time job. We hope that one day it will just be the norm. People will simply understand the value of arts and culture in our community, in our schools. We will not have to advocate for funding and sustaining a vibrant arts education program in our PK-12 schools, but will be thinking instead about all the new courses, and the arts educators we need to hire because the demand for art is so vast and the classes are too full. Imagine.

Yet, arts and culture are in demand now. Arts save lives. We know that because teachers, community members, students, policy makers, data reports and analysis, and arts organizations remind us repeatedly. It is through arts in our schools that an atmosphere of communication and tolerance, a mapping of emotions through creation, enable students to connect to the greater world. There they can express their creative selves, find their voice, and to see the connectedness of the human spirit. In community, we do the same.

Can you recall the world without music, movies, gatherings and performances while we were in lockdown during the global Covid-19 pandemic? The arts enable us to survive through some of our darkest times as a community, and the arts continue to uplift and support us as we struggle not just to survive, but to thrive in our new world.

We ask you to join us as an advocate for arts education in our schools and in our community. Lend your voice to the chorus, and share your experiences and joy with others. Tell your story of how the arts saved you. Nurtured you. Tell your family members to support candidates and board members that want sustained funding in arts education in our community. Support arts councils that advocate for arts and culture in your community. Support arts organizations by volunteering, attending performances, and sponsoring school trips through donations. Whatever you do, be that advocate and voice for arts and culture in our community and schools. Be loud.

Please join us at www.racc.org/arts-education to learn more.  Tag us on Instagram when you share your stories.

-Chanda Evans, Arts Education Manager

Regional Arts & Culture Council – Our Continued Commitment to Community

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 25, 2023

PORTLAND, OREGON: On Monday, May 22, 2023 RACC received an email from the City Arts Program Manager announcing the development of the City of Portland’s own arts and culture program to be completed by June 2024. RACC entered into its partnership with the City of Portland in 1995 via a region-wide intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas County, and Metro and the City of Portland). Though we were not made aware of these specific changes ahead of time, RACC has seen a growing divestment in equity-driven arts and culture engagement by the City of Portland since the fall of 2020.  

At this time, RACC does not have any more information than what has been released. It is our request and expectation that as the region’s contracted arts and culture agency, we will be invited into these conversations around the arts and cultural ecosystem in our community. We have a  deep experience working with, and for, the residents of Portland as well as City employees and elected officials.  

The City-led effort to assess the current state of the needs of our region for arts and culture continues with  community engagement sessions for the Our Creative Future cultural planning process is ongoing. The external partners for this process are the Cultural Planning Group from San Diego and the Metropolitan Group from Portland. This analysis and report is expected to be completed by the end of the year. RACC is the arts and culture advocate and funder that was created by the community for the community. RACC has been an integral part of ensuring access for those in the creative field since our inception and for the past 50 years. As a BIPOC-led organization we will continue to  adhere to our core values of equity, access, and inclusion. 

We want our community to know that we are committed to ensuring a thriving region for engagement and celebration of cultural diversity and artistic expression. Thank you for your commitment to RACC and your support for our mission and vision. 

 

Media Contact:

Communications Team, Regional Arts & Culture Council, comms@racc.org 

Video Highlights Muralists and Celebrates the Intersection of Art and Healing

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For Immediate Release                                                                                           

May 24, 2023 — Portland, Oregon

Art is healing — both for the artist and the viewer. That’s the central theme of a video released today by Portland’s metro area Regional Arts and Culture Council (RACC) featuring the work of three muralists who contributed their art to the Multnomah County Health Department’s Behavioral Health Resource Center (BHRC).

The film highlights the art and inspiration of Damon Smyth, Amirah Chatman, and Salomée Souag, three local artists of color with lived experience with mental health challenges and/or homelessness. All three artists created murals featured in prominent places throughout the BHRC, a day center that provides basic services and connections for people with mental health challenges who are living outside in downtown Portland.

Smyth is a comic book artist and emerging muralist. He painted the mural featured on the exterior north-facing wall of the BHRC. His mural, entitled The Pursuit of Nostalgia, is his first large public art commission. The mural showcases a series of panels that follow the journey of a young man as he encounters a variety of landscapes and animals.

Chatman, originally from the southwest, created a large-scale vinyl mural in the center’s first floor sitting area. Known as The Oasis, the artwork is based on the style of her pastel paintings. The mural includes abstract clouds in soft tones while a wide river on the left extends to the center where it meets a waterfall, offering moments of repose and serenity to anyone who views it. Chatman is hopeful about her art and the future of the BHRC. She hopes that the “BHRC sets out to do what it intended to do….I am hopeful it causes a ripple effect for the rest of the city.”

Finally, Souag’s artwork, entitled Healing from Within, is located in the center’s first floor courtyard space. Incorporating Souag’s hieroglyph-like design work, the mural shows abstract faces and uplifted hands placed against a backdrop of arches and floral shapes. Her mural reflects the importance of a space where the mind-body can find healing and long-term support.

About her mural, Souag says, “I can only hope that it gives people a sense of peace, a sense of hope, security, safety in such a hard time and challenging time we have to face.”

“We are so proud to share these artists’ stories with the community,” says Salvador Mayoral, RACC’s Senior Public Art Manager. “As advocates and champions for arts and culture, we recognize the impact of trauma-informed art for both the artist and those who experience the art.”

The three artists were selected by RACC, who manages the art plan for the center, Health Department representatives, and BHRC staff. All of the artworks in the building adhere to the center’s trauma informed guidelines.

“One of the real joys of this project has been witnessing the care, passion, and intention these artists have brought to their individual artworks,” says Mayoral who oversees installation of artworks. “The murals reflect the overall intention of the BHRC’s mission and spirit,” he says.

“Our hope is that this public art might assist in someone’s navigation processes to heal, recover, and overcome barriers to them seeking services,” he says.

Smyth adds, “This is a chance for people to feel welcomed and grow.”

The BHRC offers daily basic services and a safe place off the street to relax for people experiencing houselessness, substance use and/or mental health challenges. Services include toilets, showers, laundry and mail service at the Day Center, as well as longer-term stabilization through connections to services, treatment, and critical peer support.

The murals were installed in the fall of 2022, in time for the opening of the center in December 2022. RACC also purchased smaller portable works that are being installed throughout the center.

“Each of these pieces is contributing to this being a welcoming, safe place for people who have not often felt welcome, nor safe, in most other places,’’ said Christa Jones, Community Mental Health Program Associate Director at Multnomah County. “That each also reflects the artist’s lived experience makes them not only more insightful, and moving, but ultimately more hopeful for everyone. The County really appreciates how this work came to us.”

The video is a collaboration between RACC and Open Signal. The artists were interviewed in the Open Signal studio. RACC released a teaser for Oregon’s first Arts & Culture Caucus launch on February 27th.

 

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The Regional Arts & Culture Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides grants for artists and nonprofit organizations in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties; manages an internationally acclaimed public art program; convenes forums, networking events and other community gatherings; and provides workshops and other forms of technical assistance. RACC advocates for equity, inclusion and access, working to build a community in which everyone can participate in culture, creativity and the arts. For more information visit racc.org.

 

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Regional Arts and Culture Council

Chanda Evans, Communications Team at RACC, comms@racc.org

Salvador Mayoral, IV, Sr. Project Manager, smayoral@racc.org

Multnomah County

Julie Sullivan-Springhetti, Multnomah County Communications Director

503-502-2741

julie.sullivan-springhetti@multco.us

From the Capital to the Community: Highlighting culture in arts Advocacy Day 2023

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‍As an advocate for the arts, I firmly believe that art and culture has the power to change lives and transform communities. Art is not only a means of self-expression of culture, but is a tool for learning, connecting, and social change. However, despite its immense benefits, arts and culture often struggle to receive the support and funding they require.

This year, the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) as part of the Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon (CACO) had the opportunity to attend the in-person Advocacy Day 2023 on April 19th in Salem, Oregon. Organized through CACO, arts and culture leaders from across Oregon had the opportunity to meet and discuss the importance for continued support and funding of arts and culture in Oregon; the impact of art in civic life and economic recovery; challenges, strategies, building a community, collaborating with local government.

Introduction to advocating for support and funding of arts and culture

Advocating for the arts is crucial as it helps to raise awareness of the importance of the arts in our communities. The arts play a significant role in shaping our cultural identity, providing a means of self-expression, and promoting social change. However, the arts often struggle to receive the support and funding they need, leading to a decline in access to quality arts programs for many communities. Therefore, advocating for support and funding of arts and culture is essential to ensure that everyone in the community has access to the arts.

RACC team members, Mario Mesquita, Manager of Advocacy & Engagement, Carol Tatch, Co-Executive Director Chief of External Operations, and Phil Barber, Philanthropic Engagement Specialist, visited Senator Elizabeth Steiner (District 17), Representative Rob Nosse (District 42), Senator James Manning Jr. (District 7), Senator Michael Dembrow (District 23), and Representative Maxine Dexter (District 33). We raised up and asked for their support on initiatives identified by our partner, the Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon (CACO):

  1. We note that recovery for our sector is expected to be a 3- to 5-year process because of the prolonged nature of Oregon’s shutdown. We appreciate the legislature’s investment in the sector. We encourage your support of HB 2459, which would infuse $50M in recovery funding into revenues that threaten the viability of organizations across Oregon.
  2. Our organization supports HB 2498, which complements recovery efforts by addressing long -term funding of the sector. HB 2498 seeks to honor the original promise the Oregon legislature made to fund the Oregon Cultural Trust (OCT) with a one-time infusion of $200M in lottery bond funds.
  3. We also support an increase of $10M for grant making of the Oregon Arts Commission (OAC). Oregon is currently ranked 38th in the nation for per capita general fund support for the arts. This represents $0.49 per person. We urge policymakers to recognize the importance of our sector and move it into the top half of states at a minimum.
  4. Along with CACO, RACC also supports HB3532, which would replace the cap on OCT’s administrative costs with a percentage that will create the ability to apply up to 5% of the OCT’s permanent fund to staffing. This will better support the sector through additional technical assistance, OCT operations support, and other activities that encourage cultural activity. We are a fiscal sponsor for the Multnomah County Cultural Coalition, so we are aware of the struggles this organization has due to the limits on tis administrative funds and inability to support any staff. We continue to support their efforts to be responsible equitable funders to cultural programming.

The impact of arts and culture in advocacy

Art has the power to bring people together, create awareness, and inspire change. Through art, individuals can express their emotions, experiences, and beliefs, which can help to create a sense of community and foster empathy. Art can also be used to advocate for social change by fostering learning, raising awareness of critical issues such as social justice, environmentalism, and mental health.

The Oregon Coast Art Bus ready in Salem to welcome everyone in person at Wilson Park next to the capital building. Image by Cultural Advocacy Coalition

 

The Oregon Coast Art Bus made an appearance in Salem during Advocacy Day accompanying live performances by the Portland Opera in their mobile stage, and even a live performance by Representative Nosse playing the guitar.

The Art Bus rolled into the event – wrapped in the vibrant and colorful Celebrate Oregon! artwork developed by the Oregon Cultural Trust. The artwork on the wrap, developed by artist Liza Mana Burns, explores the vibrant arts and culture of the state. The Oregon Coast Art Bus, a program of the Oregon Coast Council, launched in August 2022, is an example of art as learning-opportunity that eliminates transportation and cost barriers for youth. The hope is now to share the experience throughout the state, with youth who do not have regular access to hands-on art activities.

The gathered advocates explored the activities available on the bus which ranged from printmaking, rubbings, and stamping, all while learning about flora and fauna in and around Oregon. A prime example of putting the “A” back into “STEAM” curricula: science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

The challenges of advocating for support and funding of arts and culture

Advocating for the arts can be challenging especially when we face budget cuts from our local cities and counties; communities facing recovery and access, and inadequate services. Many legislators  have a hard time recognizing the value of the arts or understanding how they can benefit from them if they have not experienced first hand the impact of the arts and culture in their lives. Therefore, it is crucial to raise our voices, create platforms, and educate others on the importance of the arts and their impact on our communities and our economies.

You can check out more on RACCs Advocacy Hub.

Strategies for advocating for support and funding of arts and culture

There are several strategies that individuals and organizations can use to advocate for support and funding of arts and culture. One effective strategy is to collaborate with local government officials and organizations to ensure that the arts are included in community planning and development. Another strategy is to showcase the impact of the arts by highlighting success stories and the positive outcomes of arts programs.

Currently, RACC serves as lead in partnership with Americans for the Arts (AFTA) in Multnomah county the Arts & Economic Prosperity 6th study (AEP6). The study documents the economic contributions of the arts in over 250 diverse communities and regions across the country, representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia. During 2015, AEP5 in Oregon found that the nonprofit arts and culture industry generated $687 million of economic activity—$364 million in spending by arts and cultural organizations and an additional $323 million in event-related expenditures by their audiences. This activity supported 22,299 full time equivalent jobs and generated $53 million in revenue to local and state governments.

The study put to rest a misconception that communities supported arts and culture at the expense of local economic development. In fact, what AEP5 showed was that communities were investing in an industry that supports jobs, generates government revenue, and is the cornerstone of tourism. This economic impact study sent a strong signal that when we support the arts, we not only enhance our quality of life, but we also invest in the Greater Portland Area’s economic well-being, including Clackamas and Washington Counties.

Building a community around arts and culture advocacy

Finally, building a strong community around art advocacy can help to create a united front and amplify the message of the importance of the arts. Building a community around art advocacy is crucial to creating a sustainable advocacy movement. This can be achieved by organizing events, such as Advocacy Day, and activities that bring people together, and getting involved with your local and state level organizations, like the newly formed Oregon Arts and Culture Caucus. Membership  stands at 23 and makes this group one of Oregon’s largest bipartisan caucuses.

As noted in the Oregon Cultural Trusts blog: “The interest in this Caucus, and its rapid growth, just show how much people value the arts and culture organizations in Oregon and how important it is that we support this sector,” said Rep. Nosse (D-Portland), Caucus coordinator.

The Arts and Culture Caucus was formed in recognition of the vital role arts and culture play in the livability and prosperity of Oregon communities – and in enriching the lives of Oregonians. Formation of the Caucus was led by the Oregon Arts Commission.

Inaugural members of the Caucus include Sen. Dick Anderson (R-Lincoln City); Rep. Janelle Bynum (D-Clackamas); Rep. Maxine Dexter (D-Portland); Rep. David Gomberg (D-Otis); Sen. Bill Hansell (R-Athena); Rep. John Lively (D-Springfield); Rep. Pam Marsh (D-Ashland); Caucus Coordinator Rep. Nosse (D-Portland); and Sen. Deb Patterson (D-Salem).

The Caucus serves as a resource to the Oregon Legislature on key issues impacting the arts and culture sector. Its members work closely with stakeholders including the Oregon Arts Commission, the Oregon Cultural Trust (and its Statewide Partners) and the Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon to stay informed on the latest research and issues. It also sets the agenda on priorities for arts and culture legislation, including a sustainable and robust funding mechanism for arts and cultural initiatives.

~Mario Mesquita, Manager of Advocacy and Engagement