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Art Works in Georgia

Governor Deal was invited to write an entry for the National Endowment for the Arts' blog, Art Works.  In that entry, the governor noted the contribution of the arts to the state's economy, the importance of arts education and reasons why partnering with the arts means success.  Below is an except from the January 23 blog post.  The entire entry is available on the NEA Art Works blog.

"The arts and expressions of creativity have long been something valued and celebrated by our family; they run deep through our heritage. As governor, I know that the arts mean business for Georgia. With more than 12,000 businesses employing almost 200,000 people and generating almost $29 billion in revenue, the creative sector in Georgia is poised for significant growth in the coming years. According to a recent NEA research note, Arts and the GDP, Georgia is one of four states where additional spending on the performing arts will generate a significant number of jobs - more than 45 new jobs are created for every additional million dollars in performing arts production.

This kind of artistic and cultural enterprise facilitates Georgia’s competitiveness in a global market, attracting new commerce while retaining the type of talented individuals who contribute to building a distinctive state identity. In addition, we’ve seen time and again in both large urban centers like Atlanta and Savannah and small rural communities such as Colquitt, home to the internationally recognized folk life play Swamp Gravy, how the arts stimulate community growth and development, particularly when supporting tourism. Working together, the arts and tourism can highlight the unique character of a place and they can harness market forces to educate and entertain visitors, preserve cultural assets, and create community - providing fuel for the state’s economic engine.

There is no doubt that the arts are good for all segments of Georgia’s economy. When individuals, communities, and businesses partner with the arts, everyone benefits.

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