We need an economic impact analysis that reveals, in dollars, jobs, and consumer benefits, the measurable worth of cultural activity, the value of donated cash, goods, and services, of jobs produced by, in, or supporting the cultural sector, the value of produced cultural goods and services, sales at venues or in other sectors as a result of visitor cultural usage, and the labor of board and activity volunteers. We need to assess the value of cultural assets, from historic buildings to works of art, and to track cultural consumers to see what they contribute to the local economy as they shop, stay over, and recreate as part of a cultural excursion. We could go further, and track high school and college graduates to assess the value of the humanities and arts in their careers, communication skills, and their future contributions to local culture. If we measured only a fraction of this economy of culture, we would have mega-industry figures. Even a well-done economic impact sampling of one community extrapolated to a region will tell a very, very large story.
Culture is big business.
When Arthur Frommer, the world's foremost travel expert, spoke at Marketing the Michigan Experience, a conference in Grand Rapids last November hosted by the Michigan Museums Association and its statewide cultural partners, he began by placing culture squarely in the middle of travel activity. Culture is at the center of Frommer's vacations, as it is for most people. As important as shopping and golf are in his travel guides, they play a supporting role, in footnotes, to the experience of culture and place. Culture is an enhanced way of life, driving consumer attitudes and purchases. Studies reveal the essential value of local cultural activity in individual and community life.