Arts advocates across Mississippi are adding their voices to those of local arts organizations to raise awareness of the economic and community development impact the arts have on the state. Each year during the legislative session, arts organizations share with elected officials the impact that funding programs such as the Mississippi Arts Commission, Whole Schools, and Building Fund for the Arts has on communities across Mississippi.
Funding from the State Legislature is matched by the National Endowment for the Arts to support arts programs, performing arts centers, festivals, educational programs, and the preservation or building of art spaces. The Arts and Economic Impact study documents that each dollar investment by the State of Mississippi generates $6 of economic impact.This translates into 2.1 billion dollars of economic impact as people visit blues festivals in the Delta, museums such as the Lauren Rodgers, and attend events such as International World Championship Piano Playing Contest in Oxford. This impact is felt by hotels, restaurants, shops and gas stations.
This year, arts leaders are asking those who love art to share the impact the arts have on their community. Rori Eddie Herbison, with the Mississippi Presenters Network, notes that “Mississippi is a mecca for arts and culture. We want to invite community members to share with their legislators how the arts are much more than just a quality of life issue. When people visit Mississippi for arts events they’re spending their time and money on services supporting the key industries of Mississippi.”
Arts Advocates hope encourage supporters of the arts to contact their legislators thanking them for past support and asking them to continue funding the Mississippi Arts Commission, Whole Schools, and the Building Fund for the Arts.
“The idea is simple, added Herbison. “Legislators are focused on Mississippi’s economy. If residents would highlight how the arts contribute more to Mississippi’s economy than agriculture by sharing how it impacts their local community. Legislators will be able to see support for the arts as an economy building investment that impacts the entire state.”
Locally Oxford is celebrating Arts Week in Mississippi and spreading the word that community members will understand “Spending money on the arts is money that goes right back into reinvigorating the community,” says Wayne Andrews, Director of the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council. We invite community members to contact their local legislators through a personal call, email or letter sharing their story of the arts. “We know that the majority of Mississippians love the Arts.”
To learn how to share your story visit supporttheartsms.com or presentmississippi.org
Arts Advocacy Toolkit
The Mississippi Presenters Network and Support The Arts Mississippi have put together a toolkit to help individuals and organizations advocate from Jackson in person and from afar digitally
The toolkit includes:
Social Media Templates
