TRAVIS CELEBRATES ANNUAL LOTUS FESTIVAL AS EXAMPLE OF THE ECONOMIC POTENTIAL OF CULTURE

Musician Sophia Travis, at-large candidate for the Monroe County Council, today celebrated the annual Lotus festival as an example of the economic benefits accruing to communities ready, willing, and able to capitalize on cultural capital.

“It’s no secret that Monroe County’s economic base is changing,” said Travis, “but unlike many communities in Indiana that are struggling as a result of declining manufacturing activities, Bloomington and Monroe County are uniquely poised to be able to capitalize on the area’s natural and cultural amenities.  When we do it right, and we usually do, that means jobs.”

Citing statistics from Arts & Economic Prosperity, The Economic Impact of Nonprofit Arts Organizations and Their Audiences, Travis went on to highlight the economic impact of arts and cultural activities in Monroe County:

• The nonprofit arts sector provides nearly 1,600 full-time jobs to area residents.  That’s more jobs than any local factory, including GE, provides and they’re stable jobs that won’t be outsourced.
• The nonprofit arts sector contributes $44.5 million in annual local economic activity and $32.2 million in take-home pay to area residents.
• The nonprofit arts sector delivers $3.5 million in local and state government revenue.
• On average, each event like Lotus brings in nearly $10 million to the local economy – money spent on goods and services other than the cost of admission.
• Nearly a fifth of all event attendees are non-local which means they import money into Monroe County with every event.

“Bloomington’s arts industry outperforms the arts industries in other similar communities by a significant amount,” she continued.  “On average, Bloomington’s arts industry spends more and provides more full-time jobs and more income than the arts industries in other communities of our size.”  Travis cited the presence of Indiana University, community diversity, and wonderful natural and social amenities as the key factors attracting and keeping in the area artists and other members of what professor Richard Florida calls “The Creative Class.”

“Communities like ours are struggling to find ways to deal with strained government budgets, to replace jobs lost to low-wage countries, all while protecting their environment and their way of life.  Fostering the arts, fostering festivals like Lotus, with which I’ve been involved, is a great way to accomplish all of those goals.  Most communities don’t have the resources, the people, or the distinction as a destination necessary for an arts economy to flourish.  We’re lucky, we do.” she said.

Travis finished by emphasizing how important it is to not damage the community qualities which enable the arts economy.  She cited recent controversy over drinking water protection at Lake Monroe, runaway blight along the SR37 corridor, strained social services funding, and economic threats to downtown Bloomington’s vitality as all negatively impacting Bloomington’s reputation as an arts-friendly community.

“I’ve been attending Lotus since it started and I’ve seen the incredibly positive impact that it’s had on our community.  We need to grow it as well as grow other aspects of the arts economy in Monroe County.  But even more important than that is that we’ve got to defend the arts economy, we’ve got to make sure that sprawl and inappropriate development don’t turn us into just another example of Anytown, USA.  We need to make sure we nurture the goose that’s laying these golden eggs.”