September 24, 2021

Greetings to NASAA colleagues:

We all know the arts have a critical role to play in postpandemic economic recovery. While recent boosts to state funding for the arts are encouraging, we know they won’t be sustained unless policymakers receive consistent and credible messages about how the arts strengthen our economy, our workforce and the fabric of our communities. NASAA has some more great news to share on that topic today.

The National League of Cities has just published Creativity Sparks Economic Renewal. This article offers a concise summary of economic recovery research commissioned by NASAA and conducted in partnership with Indiana University and the Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF). Through examples from communities small and large, this new article connects the dots between the arts and jobs, bustling businesses, tourism and rural vitality as well as community resilience.

The National League of Cities (NLC) is an influential network for the elected, volunteer and and career leaders of cities, towns and villages. It’s a respected source of information on economic strategies, workforce development, infrastructure planning and placemaking. NASAA is very pleased to raise awareness about the arts with this cross-sector policy audience, as we did through our article in Governing earlier this year. Many thanks to our colleague Cyndy Andrus (mayor of Bozeman, chair of the Montana Arts Council and former NASAA board member) for her leadership and collaboration on this latest column.

You can help us spread the word even further! Please share the NLC article through your newsletters and social media outlets. Together, we can help even more communities see the advantages of integrating the arts into their plans for economic development and community recovery.

Best wishes for a healthy, bountiful and beautiful autumn,

Pam Breaux, NASAA President and CEO

Kelly Barsdate, NASAA Chief Program and Planning Officer