Building a community

Those leading the charge for a community visual arts center and those urging community members to invest in the arts say such endeavors don’t just build the arts; the artists involved are known for strengthening weak parts of cities.

“A lot of times we think of the arts just as the arts, but they also bring so much more to a community in terms of economic development, including what the community offers in attracting new residents and new business to the community,” says the ISO’s Orthmann. “Many times the economic aspect of the arts and arts organizations can be somewhat overlooked by decision makers in a community.”

Dollar cites two studies that show that neighborhoods flush with artists tend to improve faster than those without, as artists’ activities increase civic involvement and bring to the area visitors who spend money at other businesses. One of the  studies notes that such improvements are more likely to follow when cities build a critical mass of artists.

“Springfield is not a magnet for artists, but that doesn’t mean that it couldn’t be because it’s an extremely affordable place to live,” says Dollar, who suggests the city develop initiatives to attract more artists and then market those initiatives to Chicago or any other place churning out art students. “It’s an easy shot to St. Louis or Chicago, so you can go get your cultural shot or see a show or catch a movie or whatever but not be struggling with the intense overhead of being in the city.”

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