Neighborhoods funding the new arts, not corporations

Corporate funding for the arts dropped 48% in the last 15 years; local government support declined 49% in the last your years – yet downtown arts are thriving. What gives? Apparently, the neighborhoods are.

In Philadelphia, city center art galleries, musuems, performing arts, and theaters as well as artist-inspired nightclubs and downtown restaurants have helped establish a downtown population of 88,000. In downtown Wilmington, DE, performing arts theatres, opera, contemporary arts and the first ‘first-run’ theater in 35 years are attracting a significant new residential population to the center city. This expanded patronage along with contributions from the local residential developers are helping replace the lost corporate and goverment funds.

The unexpected bonus? With less corporate art contributions, you get less corporate art buildings like this (and yes, that’s a real building.)

Notice any arts development in your neighborhood? How important are arts to your neighborhood? Speak your mind below…

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