My favorite season is fast approaching. I love the competition. The high stakes. The last-minute decision-making. I’m talking, of course, about budget season. (What season were you thinking?!)
The debate beginning in August over Indianapolis’ next municipal budget will be intriguing. No doubt, public safety will be priority one, as it should be. But funding for arts programs should not be far behind.
With cities across America facing major fiscal challenges, how can arts funding even be a consideration, let alone a priority? Simple economics.
In a world where smart, talented individuals are placing a higher priority on location rather than job, we need to continue to build Indy’s reputation as a hub for arts and culture. As policy-makers focus on leveraging Central Indiana’s strong cluster of health care and life sciences assets to position our region as a global player, we must keep in mind that the arts could be a deciding factor for that young med school grad looking for a culturally rich community where he or she can settle in and make a difference.
This argument is more than anecdotal. Numbers back up the fact that the arts are becoming a major economic driver (check out this economic impact study that, among other things, shows the arts bring a half-billion dollars into the local economy).
So, fellow bloggers, do you think our elected officials should make arts funding a priority?
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