No Brainer for Arts Support

The value of art in our lives is measured by how our community embraces arts. Sounds like a chicken or the egg thing, but consider this: I live in Vancouver, Washington, a community that is very close to Portland, Oregon. This community does not want to be like Portland at all. No, it wants to develop its own personality without the aid of Portland, thank you very much.

Problem is the city management has turned its back on one of the aspects that is very important to Portland. An aspect that means dollars in the coffers of a city that embraces it. That aspect is support of the arts.

That is why I drove to Olympia, Washington, the state capitol, to lobby for art support. Today was Arts Day 2008 in Washington, and a small group of us from Vancouver, the lower bowels of the state of Washington, joined forces, and met our representatives to share with them how important support of the arts is.

It was an enjoyable day, because we congratulated the legislature for passing by a vote of 95 to zero an extension of time that nonprofit arts usage can offer to for profit organizations. We thank all of our representatives for this.

However, getting back to the local Vancouver political people, things are a bit less supportive. Vancouver does not have to be a Portland copy cat, but it can look at what works in Portland and put that spin on Vancouver. What works in Portland is the creative spirit, and the creative spirit’s support by Portland’s city government.

In doing research, I have found that arts and culture are the glue that holds a vibrant community together. Arts and culture is what draws tourists to a location; what draws highly educated people with a lot of disposable income to a location; what entices highly skilled businesses to open offices in a location; and what brings property values up. 

Support of the arts by local government is a no brainer. So, my friends in Vancouver USA, do the right thing and open your eyes to the wealth that awaits this city. Through your support, we will develop our own fabulous, enriching community that will draw tourist dollars and new, highly paid employment. That sounds like a no brainer to me.