Ankeny, Business and The Arts

Did you see the recent press release from the City of Ankeny that encourages individuals with an interest in the arts to apply for a position on the Ankeny Cultural Arts Board (ACAB)?  Did you wonder why that's important to you, to local businesses or our community?  Did you know that one of the keys to building and sustaining a community while promoting a high quality economic development is the strong support of the arts and culture? 

Organizations that support the arts and culture facilitate a successful education, create jobs, fuel local economies, increase tourism and generate tax revenues. I would venture to guess that the City of Ankeny probably understands this quite well. Let's explore these important dimensions and think about what they might mean to the Ankeny community. 

Education Rewards. Students with an education rich in the arts have higher GPAs and standardized test scores, lower drop-out rates, and better attitudes about their community.  An education that deeply engages the arts tends to foster those young imaginations and facilitates a child's success in school. There is no doubt that critical thinking, communications and innovation skills are essential to a productive 21st-century work force. Businesses looking to establish themselves in a new community certainly look at the potential employee pool. A presence of strong schools, libraries, museums and the arts are a key factor that indicates to prospective employers that there are talented and innovative people in the community. 

Business Growth.  The arts are good for local merchants and create jobs as well as produce tax revenue. A community with a strong arts sector has an economic asset that stimulates business activity, attracts tourism revenue, retains a high quality work force and stabilizes property values. Supporting the arts specifically benefits businesses because the arts offer unique opportunities to build relationships with new customers, enhance community relations and attracts as well as retains quality employees. In summary, industry and the arts go hand-in-hand; the arts draw talented people to the area and talented people in turn attract industry. 

Simple Economics.  A typical attendee to an art related event spends about $25 per person (per event). That figure doesn't include the cost of admission for items such as meals, parking and babysitters. An ideal tourist is an art lover; they stay longer and spend more! When a community attracts cultural tourists, these visitors typically end up spending twice as much as the locals! These cultural activities that attract tourists create the need for other businesses such as more restaurants, hotels, and the services needed to support them.  It's pretty simple, when a community attracts cultural tourists, it harnesses even greater economic rewards. 

The Ankeny Art Center is dedicated to promoting and supporting Iowa artists. Become a member or sponsor and help support the arts and culture in our community!  We strive to fuel creativity, inspire minds and challenge our community. There is a variety of ways for local businesses to get involved, give back to the community and support the arts in Ankeny too. Sponsor a specific exhibition, event, capital improvement or educational need. All gifts are 100% tax-deductible donations and you’ll enable the Ankeny Art Center to continue promote creativity and innovation in our community. Help promote quality economic development through your support of the arts and culture in Ankeny! 

For more information about our exhibitions, class schedules, special events, membership, sponsor or volunteer opportunities, please visit our website at: www.AnkenyArtCenter.com. Stop by and visit our gallery at 1520 SW Ordnance Road in Ankeny. Our gallery hours are: Tu-Fr: 9a-1p, Th: 4p-7p, Sa: 9a-noon. You can reach us by phone at 515-965-0940 or send an email to: ankenyarts@ankenyartcenter.com