The Missoula Cultural Council is working to assure that Missoula continues to reap the rewards of a rich stable of local artists

A recent study released by the Americans for the Arts organization shows that it pays to be a city like Missoula – a rich cultural hub that’s home to many artists and creative people.

By JILL FITZSIMMONS for the Missoulian

The Arts and Economic Prosperity study points to the nonprofit arts as a significant industry in Missoula. The industry generates $16.7 million in local economic activity in Missoula, which includes $2 million by nonprofit arts organizations and $14.6 million in event-related spending by their audiences, according to the study.

The nonprofit arts industry supports 670 full-time jobs, generates $9.9 million in household income to local residents and delivers $1.2 million in local and state government revenue, according to the study, which details the results of 91 communities around the country that participated.

“This economic impact study sends a strong signal that when we support the arts, we not only enhance our quality of life, but also invest in Missoula’s economic well-being,” the study concludes.

But the Missoula Cultural Council http://www.missoulacultural.org/ has long known that culture and commercial intertwine, says Mark Martin, the organization’s interim executive director. Tourism is the No. 2 industry in the state, and if you discounted government subsidies given to agriculture, it would be No. 1, Martin says.

While there are no specific statistics as to tourism’s rank in Missoula, we do know that Missoula collects more than $1 million annually in bed tax monies, Martin says. At 4 percent, that translates to $20 million spent on motel rooms alone, he says.

This national study is hard evidence of how culture impacts this community’s economy, he says. In fact, it only touches upon the economic impact. Eighty-four organizations were eligible to participate in the study, but only 24 responded. So the study doesn’t include such cultural heavy-hitters as the Missoula Children’s Theatre or the University of Montana.

And let’s not forget that culture offers the kinds of things that keep people in a community as well as attract new businesses, Martin says.

“It isn’t all about money,” he says. “All of the activities relate to quality of life issues.“

The impact of the cultural community on a local economy is a hot topic right now in Montana. Earlier this year, at the two-day Economic Development Summit in Billings that drew business leaders and economic development experts from around the state, an in-depth study produced by Gov. Judy Martz pointed to creative enterprises (artists and artisans) as one of six predominant business clusters in the state that need to be nurtured and cultivated. A discussion of this creative cluster concept, hosted by the Montana Associated Technology Roundtable and the Missoula Cultural Council, is planned next month in Missoula.

Martin says it’s about time the arts get recognized for what they do for the community. “We’ve been singing this song for a while and we’re finally being heard,” he says.

The Missoula Cultural Council (www.missoulacultural.org) serves as a support agency for cultural organizations in the area. It was formed in 1991 when a group of mostly visual artists thought the city should have a cultural department. The council, which has an office in the First Interstate Plaza building downtown, is funded modestly by the city with the goal of serving as a “resource for the coordination, development and support of arts and culture for the benefit of the Missoula community.“

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Missoula Cultural Council

First Interstate Plaza Building

127 E. Front, Suite 212

P.O. Box 7662

Missoula, MT 59807

(406) 721-9620

FAX (406) 543-9832

Email MCC:
[email protected]

Un sitio dirigido por amantes de la cultura de todo el mundo

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There are 80 major “cultural agencies” in Missoula, Martin says. Those agencies range from community organized events such as Out to Lunch to internationally recognized organizations such as the Missoula International Wildlife Film Festival. The council also works with similar agencies across the state.

“It’s our duty to help these other communities because in a sense it helps Missoula,” Martin says.

The cultural council has a 15-member board of directors that reflects a cross-section of the community’s interest and involvement in the arts and culture. The board’s members not only come from local cultural organizations but public agencies and the private business sector, as well.

To add more power to its economic punch, the cultural council recently has become affiliated with the Business Committee for the Arts, which aims to build successful business-arts relationships. The council also is partnering with the newly formed Missoula Convention and Visitor’s Bureau as well as several other organizations in the community.

The cultural council also sponsors not only marketing workshops for artists but also several events in town that aim to bring the arts to the community. Most recently, it has partnered with Southgate Mall to bring a Lewis and Clark exhibit there. It also participates heavily in sister city relationships with Neckargemund, Germany, and Palmerston North, New Zealand. And next month, it will celebrate National Arts and Humanities Month. An event on Oct. 31 will officially announce the results of the Arts and Economic Prosperity study results.

Working with WM&Q Strategic Studio in Missoula, the cultural council is working on a video highlighting the creative community and bringing its economic impact to the attention of the public. Oftentimes in Missoula, people take for granted the number of cultural opportunities available to them, Martin says. People need to ask themselves just what these organizations and events do for this city, he said.

“Missoula’s cultural community is often overlooked as a vital tool in economic development,” Martin says. “The arts and humanities resources we have here are what makes Missoula an attractive location for the high-tech industries that will take note of these factors.“

http://missoulian.com/bonus/progress03/progress31.html