[Source: Maricopa Partnership for Arts & Culture] — Arts and culture in metro Phoenix and all of Arizona is in serious peril. Already lowest in contributed revenues among a ranking of ten competitor regions, the current economic downturn threatens to severely reduce the capability of arts and culture organizations to provide the public with the current level of quality and quantity of programming. In the face of this challenge, MPAC is moving swiftly to inform business and community leadership about the immediate importance of supporting this vital piece of the local economy.
MPAC is partnering with the strategic communications firm of FirstStrategic to reach Arizonans with the message that public funding for arts and culture is lacking in our state and is needed to ensure Arizona has a vibrant future and the ability to compete for knowledge workers and industries.
The lack of vibrancy in Metro Phoenix’s arts, culture, and creative cluster impedes the region’s ability to attract and retain workers in the fields of medicine, technology, design, and bioscience, among other high wage sectors. These workers are critical for knowledge-based businesses to expand their footprint and diversify Arizona’s economy. Investing in a strong creative cluster has proven to be transformational. Competitor cities such as Austin, Salt Lake City, and Denver dramatically diversified their economies and regions by making the commitment to invest in arts and culture.
Two brochures are available for download here. One highlights the role arts and culture plays in attracting knowledge workers and encouraging a diverse economy, the other on the educational impact of arts and culture in the community.
Downtown Voices Coalition 