Minutes 08-21-2012 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

audiences. The spending pumps vital revenue into local restaurants, hotels, retail stores, parking garages, and other businesses. By demonstrating that investing in the arts and culture yields economic benefits, Arts & Economic Prosperity IV lays to rest a common misconception that communities support the arts and culture at the expense of local economic development. They are investing in an industry that supports jobs, generates government revenue, and is a cornerstone of tourism. The report shows conclusively that locally as well as nationally the arts mean business. Mr. Hochman read the proclamation: ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PROCLAMATION IN SUPPORT OF ARTS & ECONOMIC PROSPERITYIV WHEREAS, Americans for the Arts, the nation's leading arts research and advocacy organization, conducted its fourth benchmark study of the national economic impact of the nonprofit arts industry in 182 study regions across the United States; and WHEREAS, the Arts & Economic Prosperity IV study found that the nonprofit arts industry generates $135.2 billion annually in economic activity and supports 4.1 million jobs — from large urban to small rural communities, and that the nonprofit arts industry annually returns $9.59 billion in federal income taxes, $6.67 billion in state government revenue, and $6.07 billion in local government revenue; and WHEREAS, the Arts & Economic Prosperity IV study found that the nonprofit arts industry in ORANGE COUNTY generates $85.4 million annually in economic activity and supports 3,352 jobs, and that the nonprofit arts industry annually returns $3.5 million in local and $4.5 million in state government revenue; and WHEREAS, the Arts & Economic Prosperity IV study collected extensive survey data from more than 9,721 arts organizations and 151,802 audience attendees nationwide and from 96 local arts organizations and 1,259 local attendees; and WHEREAS, as demonstrated by the Arts & Economic Impact Prosperity IV study, the nonprofit arts in Orange County substantially contribute to the local economy; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF ORANGE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA supports the findings of the Arts & Economic Prosperity IV study and urges all local, state and federal officials to invest in nonprofit arts organizations directly, through their local and state arts agencies, and the National Endowment for the Arts as a catalyst to generate economic impact, stimulate business development, spur urban renewal, attract tourists and area residents to communities activities, and to improve the overall quality of life. This the 21 St day of August, 2012. A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner McKee, to approve the proclamation supporting Americans for the Arts' (AFTA) most recent national arts economic impact study entitled Arts & Economic Prosperity IV and its findings for Orange County and authorize the Chair to sign. VOTE: UNANIMOUS Chair Pelissier commented she attended the North Carolina County Commissioners Conference last weekend and there were presentations by experts in economic development. They noted that arts and leisure are very important for economic development nationwide and this substantiates what was presented. 5. Consent Aqenda