To the Editor:
It is clear that the arts must share in the considerable financial pain our communities are facing, but for D. Dowd Muska to in his Jan. 7 article, “Washington and the states: Codependents in overspending,” to suggest that arts funding should be eliminated entirely makes no sense, logically or economically.
For more than 40 years, the state’s existing funding model has shown that Connecticut has been a wise steward of public dollars, following the conservative budgetary principles of providing a modest state investment with significant return.
Connecticut’s nonprofit arts and culture organizations and their audiences annually sustain more than 18,314 full-time equivalent jobs and generate more than $653 million in economic activity and $59.1 million in local and state tax revenues according to the statewide findings from our 2012 study, Arts & Economic Prosperity IV.
These small businesses — many of them recipients of state grants — boost their local economy as they purchase goods and services within the community, are involved in the marketing and promotion of their cities, and employ people locally.
Simply put, a vibrant arts community is good for the economy and therefore a good investment of public dollars.
Robert L. Lynch President and CEO, Americans for the Arts Washington, D.C.
