Boosted by positive results of the economic impact of the arts and cultural organizations in Pinellas County, a new Steering Committee (photo ID at end of article) is carrying the vital message of local institutions and organizations to the Florida Legislature.
Supported by the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance (SPAA) and Creative Pinellas (CP), the Arts and Economic Prosperity® 5 study was conducted in 2016 by Americans for the Arts, the nation’s nonprofit organization representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for arts in America.
The Clearwater Arts Alliance, North Pinellas Cultural Alliance and Tampa Bay Businesses for Culture and the Arts joined with SPAA and CP to present the study’s results at the first countywide Regional Arts Summit In July 2017.
The study, based on fiscal year 20116, provides evidence that the nonprofit arts and culture sector is a significant industry in Pinellas County—one that generates $241 million in total economic activity. This spending—$100.2 million by nonprofit arts and cultural organizations and an additional $140.8 million in event-related spending by their audiences—supports 7,211 full-time equivalent jobs, generates $155.2 million in household income to local residents, and delivers $29.8 million in local and state government revenue. (See accompanying Tables.)
This economic impact study sends a strong signal that when we support the arts, we not only enhance our quality of life, but we also invest in Pinellas County’s economic well-being.
The $100.2 million in spending is far-reaching: organizations pay employees, purchase supplies, contract for services, and acquire assets within their community. These actions, in turn, support jobs, generate household income, and generate revenue to local and state governments.
The arts also drive tourism in Pinellas County.
In fiscal 2016, more than 4.265 million attended arts and cultural events. An estimated 1.467 million or 34% were non-residents and 2.798 million or 66% were residents. More than 70% of non-resident attendees indicated the primary purpose of their visit was specifically to attend an arts or cultural event. They spent an average of 51% more per person than local attendees ($42.43 vs. $28.07) as a result of their attendance. As would be expected from a traveler, higher spending was typically found in lodging, meals, and transportation.
When a community attracts cultural tourists, it harnesses significant economic rewards. While the study figures are from a few years ago, the numbers have only grown, noted Ben Bernstein, Pinellas Economic Development representative. With the addition of the new Imagine Museum for glass sculpture and the James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art, and record attendance for both the Florida Orchestra and American Stage, more visitors are being counted.
Call to Action
The recent Fiscal 2019 Legislative session in Tallahassee saw another significant cut in state contributions to the arts and cultural institutions. And additional cuts were made to arts grants and local institution projects due to the Conference Committee of the Senate and Assembly, and Governor Scott’s vetoes.
This led to the Pinellas Community Foundation (PCF), with Duggan Cooley as CEO and Creative Pinellas, with Barbara St. Clair as Executive Director, to co-sponsor a more action-oriented conference on August 17 at St. Petersburg College.
The Art of Advocacy: Repositioning the Arts to Win drew more than 120 representatives from more than 40 local arts and cultural groups, speaking with one voice for more action directed at the Legislature.
Highlight was a panel moderated by Kyle Parks, B2 Communications. Panelists included Sen. Darryl Rouson, Dist. 19; Rep. Ben Diamond, Dist. 68; Rep. Chris Sprowls, Dist. 65; and veteran local lobbyists Dr. Helen Levine and Shawn Foster.
Senator Rouson and Representatives Diamond and Sprowls had one clear message for attendees: Visit us in our local offices and not in Tallahassee. They emphasized that the earlier before the Legislative session begins that they hear about the most important projects and grants, the better they can assess the information.
Rouson, whose district covers both Pinellas and Hillsborough areas with many cultural sites, also strongly urged that all local arts groups focus on programs for veterans, disadvantaged children, and other under-served groups in the community when getting their messages to their representatives. (As an example, the Florida Holocaust Museum hosts thousands of Pinellas and Hillsborough school groups for tours during the school year and its Trunks of Hope program provides hundreds of schools across the country with Holocaust background information.)
Both lobbyists, Dr. Levine and Foster, also offered to work with the local arts community and provide their guidance and assistance going forward. They also urged that local groups with priorities for new grants and projects get to their legislators as early in the year as possible. The Summit wound up with key recommendations, topped by the formation of an Arts Steering Committee with more than two dozen signing up to volunteer. Consensus of the group was that the new Committee should focus on building a calendar of events and meetings from all local arts groups, develop strategic planning and goals, provide a “tool kit” with talking points for all local groups, develop a roll-out plan with a marketing strategy and path for the upcoming Legislative session in Tallahassee.
New Steering Committee 864w
At the first Steering Committee meeting on September 6, 18 local arts representatives attended, with two more by phone. Stephen Brown, President of the Dunedin Music Society, guided the meeting and led the group in a lively discussion.
Important takeaways from the Summit were topped by the surprising knowledge that neither the legislators nor the arts organizations fully understand the arts funding process; Visiting legislators locally has more impact than in Tallahassee and short, one-page reports are much better than longer ones.
Organizations should not duplicate current efforts, nor should we reinvent the wheel, such as what the Arts Alliances, the Florida Cultural Alliance, and Americans for the Arts are already doing. We should instead use and tweak the best of what they offer that is applicable to our area and our organizations.
Pinellas County Commissioner Karen Seel has agreed to provide access to the County Lobbyist. We need to find out who else is using a lobbyist – we know that Zoo Tampa has employed Southern Strategies. And we need to listen to what the lobbyists recommend.
Goals & Assignments for Action
After discussion on each key topic, the group agreed on these goals:
We need to create a message and strategy, to share and disseminate information with the priorities to make the message simple, speak with one voice and organize the key story; Create a database with an inventory of all local arts organizations that will hold stories and statistics; Create a tool kit; Messages should include: Protect the grants list first; Detail the impact of the loss of funding, why grants are important, and what arts organizations can do with the grants funds. Use personal stories.
Also, use the ROI of arts on tourism and private sector, use the Arts and Economic Impact Calculator and tools found on Americans for the Arts and also on the Tampa Bay Businesses for Culture and the Arts; Engage media – October articles about the Summit and Committee will appear on www.TampaBay100.com and in Paradise News; Every arts organization and every local literary, visual and musical artist should use their own social media to spread the word of this new Arts Advocacy program.
Stephen Brown offered to create Google Groups for each committee’s discussions going forward. Other key volunteers and assignments: Ben Bernstein will create a database, Pinellas Community Foundation will create a survey and send to all arts organizations, and will type up minutes and disseminate to all who attended the
Symposium; Lisa Ferrer, Imagine Museum, and George Ann Bissett, Dunedin Fine Arts Center, will set up relationship development; Kyle Parks, Ana Diaz-Diez—Stageworks Theatre, and Duggan Cooley—PCF, will get the messaging started; and Ana also will head the long-term advocacy and policy committee.
Other key action items include: Send email with questions and minutes to all summit attendees, as well as links to existing resources; Ask arts organizations to start using #ArtOfAdvocacy and post information on their social media about the value of the arts; A small committee will meet with the county lobbyist for advice on strategy; Gather three main goals and needs of all local organizations: Impact of funding: Impact of loss and why grants are important; and Develop a tool kit so organizations and artists can move ahead.
Everyone agreed the timeline was very important with the knowledge that the Legislative Session starts in March. Committees are already organized to come up with key action items and plans; and Budgets and Bills start formulating in October so local Legislative visits are a key priority.
A Steering Committee Conference call was planned for late September, including summit attendees, and both PCF’s Cooley and Barbara St. Clair of Creative Pinellas pledged to continue to motivate all the local arts to advance the cause of Arts Advocacy in Pinellas County.
Both Cooley and St. Clair emphasize that everyone in the greater Pinellas arts community has a vital stake in our new Arts Advocacy program going forward, and everyone must do their part to carry the message forward to their legislative representatives. PN
Article by Steve Traiman
[Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Duggan Cooley & Suzanne Ruley, PCF; Barbara St. Clair & Samantha Samson, CP; Ben Bernstein, Pinellas EDC; and Stephen Brown, Dunedin Musical Society, for their vital assistance & input for this article.]
[Steve Traiman is President of Creative Copy by Steve Traiman in St. Pete Beach, offering freelance business writing services. He can be reached via email at traimancreativecopy@gmail.com]
(Photo ID) At August Arts Advocacy Summit panel, l-r, moderator Kyle Parks, B2 Communications; Sen. Darryl Rouson, Dist. 19; Rep. Ben Diamond, Dist. 68; lobbyist Dr. Helen Levine; Rep. Chris Sprowls, Dist. 65; lobbyist Shawn Foster. (Photo: Steve Traiman)