"The heartbeat of the arts in Lee County is Olympic-level strong."
That's the assertion of the Alliance for the Arts in Florida's Lee County after a study by Americans for the Arts found that 19 arts and culture organizations in the county supported 2,516 jobs and generated $135.3 million in economic impact in 2022, the News-Press reports.
"We currently support 2,516 jobs in Lee County through the arts," says Alliance Executive Director Molly Deckart.
"They don't just provide food for the soul.
They put food on the table for scores of people who live and work in Lee County.
Yet, county government provides no support to the arts and culture sector."
The study found that 1.4 million locals attended arts and culture events in 2022, spending an average of $34.86 each at local businesses, while 426,000 out-of-towners spent $57.68 each at area businesses for things like dining, parking or ride share, souvenirs, apres-event drinks or dessert, and child or pet care.
"So if you're traveling even from Sarasota to here and you decide to spend the night, you are dining, you are lodging, you are participating in our local economy," Deckart says.
"And so it just may
A customized collection of grant news from foundations and the federal government from around the Web.
In the world of social enterprises, failure is a cringe-worthy moment nobody wants to talk about. But, social entrepreneurs can benefit from their failures.