BENTONVILLE : Leaders review study of ‘creative economy’
Posted on Thursday, September 11, 2008
BENTONVILLE — Tapping into creative endeavors may be a way for Arkansas to offset the slowdown in economic development and growth affecting the state and nation, according to the results of a study released Wednesday.
A group of 50 leaders from government and civic and arts communities met Wednesday morning at Compton Gardens to hear and discuss results from a three-year study on Arkansas ’ “creative economy.” The study, funded through a grant from the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, looked at the economic impact that the arts and other creative industries have on the state’s economy.
Sarah Butzen with Regional Technology Strategies, the firm which conducted the study, presented the results.
Arkansas has been known primarily as a manufacturing state, but the slowing economy is making way for more and more creative industries to be pursued, the study showed. These industries include museums, entertainment, festivals, and other events and places deemed as amenities that explore creativity. The manufacturing of handmade goods — special because they are unique to one specific area and reflect something of their surroundings — also can be considered creative industries.
The study found that many of the events and festivals offered in Arkansas easily could have been held elsewhere. The goal should be to make those festivals unique to their locations, she said.
“With the King Biscuit Blues Festival [in Helena-West Helena and now called the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival ] — we saw that the Delta is really struggling, but what a great asset this brings. What we found was that it makes use of almost no local vendors. Local places, restaurants, food and catering weren’t all that connected to it. A lot of people involved in that festival felt that if it were to go somewhere else, it would be the same festival,” Butzen said.
The study also recommended trying to get funding from the state to enhance the creative economy.
Ed Clifford, chief executive officer of the Bentonville / Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce and chairman of the Arkansas Arts Council, said he’s now pushing for the state Legislature to approve a one-time, $ 1 million allocation to the Governor’s Regional Arts Initiative to stimulate and foster the creative economy that now employs more than 35, 000 Arkansans.
Also, the Arkansas Arts Council is requesting an additional $ 1 million to add to the $ 1. 4 million annual allocation toward arts-related grants.
“[The arts are ] the third largest industry cluster in the state. That’s a big deal, and so fragmented that we couldn’t put our fingers on it,” Clifford said.
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