Can public art draw the community together? Or,
increase foot traffic? Can it boost sales for other small businesses and towns?
Can the addition of public art drive tourism?
Many small, Colorado towns are asking these questions
and experimenting with the idea that art can be economically worthwhile. Art in public spaces, usually free to all,
improves our town and
city-scape, but they also bring in dollars.
Some see arts and culture as a luxury, only accessible
to the rich, however a nationwide trend toward public, easily accessible art is
finding its way here, and the results are positively money!
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| Figure 1: Art Space in Trinidad, Colorado |
A 2017 Denver Post article told of a creative turning
point for Trinidad, Colorado, when then Governor Hickenlooper, and the local
city council agreed to create “Space to Create Trinidad.” This $17 million
project still underway, provides affordable housing options for creative sector
workers where they create art. Old, dilapidated buildings in downtown Trinidad,
will be transformed into high-occupancy residences, along with galleries and
art studios.
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| Figure 2: Mancos Creative District logo |
Mancos Creative District, has allowed artists to work
and live along Mancos, Colorado’s main street. The town aimed to bring in
artists for the affordable housing, and allow them stay to create their art,
bringing tourists from all over to spend their cash in town.
A 2018 Colorado Office of Economic Development press
release noted creative industries including film making, graphic web-based
artists, and brought in $13.7 billion, a figure surpassing either the mining or
transportation industries.
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| Figure 3 Photo Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts during Art Hop 2019 |
According to the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak
Region, the arts and culture industry generates $153.3 million just in this
area alone. A local study by the Arts and Economic Prosperity 5
(ADP5) found that out-of-town, non-county residents “spent an average of 124
percent more per person” when attending arts and cultural events, affecting
transportation, lodging and restaurants the most. Many came to our county
specifically to attend a cultural event.
According to Forecast Public Art, an advocacy group,
the economic health of communities that include public art can enhance the
pride and pleasure people feel who live nearby or visit a place.
In Denver, Colorado the River
North (RiNo) district hosts a week-long event in which graffiti and street
artists. The free, annual event brings in thousands of bystanders to watch the
artists create murals on the buildings along its streets, alleyways and parking
lots. Over 50 local businesses supported the 2018 event and see business boom
during the week-long event.
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| Figure 4: From Crush Walls 2019, Denver CO |
According
to a 2017 article by The Alliance For Economic Development of Oklahoma City,
public art builds upon a sense of community and, “It is also a proven economic
driver. Public art increases publicity for the city, tourism and leasing
interest--resulting in faster growing economies.” In 2012, the city created the
Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs to coordinate public art projects paid for
through a 1% construction budget.
In 2008, the New York City Economic Development
Corporation commissioned a report to research how a temporary public art
display by artists Olafur Eliasson effects the economics of a place. Although
the display was only up for five months, the direct and indirect impact of the
project was $69 million.
In addition to the thousands of commuters who saw the
project from their ferries, out-of-town visitors who came for the The New
York City Waterfalls project
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| Figure 5: One of the waterfalls in NYC during the Waterfalls Project |
,
“About 95 percent of all
out-of-town Waterfalls viewers participated in at least one other
cultural attraction during their stay. About 43 percent of visitors attended one
or more Broadway shows; 42 percent attended a visual art, photography, or
design museum; 34 percent visited a history museum; and nearly 27 percent
viewed a public art installation other than the Waterfalls.”
From a tourism perspective, the report estimates
visitors shared over 6,000 photos of the exhibition on Flickr.com, as well as
1,200 blog posts and 200 YouTube videos were shared.
A Forbes article written by contributor Raquel Laneri
wrote in 2009 the waterfall project cost $15.5 million, but brought in over $69
million for the city.
According to American for the Arts, their Public Art
101 online “class” mentions public art is often site-specific, “meaning it is created in response to the
place and community in which it resides.” The art created in these spaces
brings a community together by creating a sense of identity. Take for example, Aspen
Grove by Reven-Marie Swanson located at a roundabout in Monument, Colorado. It
mimics the aspens that grow on Mount Herman, along the foothills just behind
the sculpture, giving a nod to place making.
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| Figure 6: Aspen Grove by Reven-Marie Swanson |
In a 2004 Seattle Times
article, author Irv Weiser cites a 2002 study showing nonprofit arts organizations
generate $134 billion annually.
Weiser, who works for RBC Dain Rauscher, tells of
the sculpture at the entrance to his office headquarters, a man who has fallen,
that Rauscher thinks provides employees and customers with the chance to
experience the company in a different way.
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| Figure 7: Outside the RBC Dain Rauscher offices |
An article on the Project for Public Art website cites
a study by The Travel Industry Association of America to find out whether
tourists extend their stay when they find cultural activities on their trip.
The study revealed that 65% of adult American travelers included a “cultural,
arts, heritage or historic” event into their travels.
Consider the art and culture that surround you in your
neighborhood, and promote the arts locally.
Written by Allison Robenstein
Resources:
Downtown Colorado Springs, Snapshot of the Arts in
80903, https://downtowncs.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/CVI-2015-Snapshot_80903.pdf.
Colorado Office of Economic Development &
International Trade, https://choosecolorado.com/arts-industries-contribute-13-7b-to-the-states-economy/, “Colorado’s Arts Industries Contribute $13.7
Billion to State’s Economy”, March 12, 2018.
Seattle Times Thursday, July 8, 2004 article,
“Benefits of public art far outweight the costs” Irv Weiser- http://old.seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2001974123_weiser08.html.
Laneri, Raquel, May 5, 2009, “Why We Love --- And Need
--- Public Art,” https://www.forbes.com/2009/05/05/state-of-the-city-opinions-george-rickey-public-art.html#254d68dd42be
Project for Public Spaces, https://www.pps.org/article/how-art-economically-benefits-cities,
“How Art Economically Benefits Cities”, Dec 31, 2008.
Wentzel, John, The Denver Post, Dec. 20, 2017,
“Colorado Divide: Could arts and culture spark and economic revival to
struggling rural towns?, https://www.denverpost.com/2017/12/30/rural-colorado-arts-culture-economy/.