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'Culture' adds dollars and jobs to Burke County economy

By Steve Welker | The News Herald

Published: November 25, 2009

Morganton, NC - "Culture" is a growing industry in North Carolina and Burke County.
Cultural industries have created 164,000 jobs and sustain an additional 129,000 jobs — a total of nearly 294,000 workers, according to a report published Tuesday by the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.
Cultural industries also are producing more jobs and income in Burke County, say local observers who've increased activity in recent years, particularly in arts and crafts, as former manufacturing employees redirect their talents and imagination to making and selling the product of their own minds and hands.
The state identifies 109 kinds of businesses and employment as "cultural industries." Those creative endeavors generate payrolls in excess of $10 billion (nearly five percent of the state's total) and produce goods and services that add more than $41.4 billion, or 5.3 percent, to North Carolina's gross domestic, according to the new report.
The study is part of an on-going program to understand and nurture the growth of creative industries in North Carolina and to increase their contribution to the state and local economies.
NCDCR Secretary Linda A. Carlisle said that in coming years, "We will continue to work to position North Carolina to capitalize on creative industries to retain workers and attract new entrepreneurial opportunities."
Ann DiSanto, executive director of the Burke Arts Council in Morganton, and Elizabeth Furr, executive of the Rock School Arts Foundation, both said cultural activities and businesses are growing in Burke County. In addition to providing employment they said, cultural enterprises enhance the county's appeal to retirees and stimulate tourism.
When the N.C. Arts Council tallies creative jobs, according to DiSanto, it counts people employed directly as artists, artisans and craftmakers; persons who work in the entertainment industry, including, theater, music and filmmaking; architects; designers; and people working in new media.
The Department of Cultural Resources' list goes even further afield, including as examples librarians and historians. The jobs sustained by creative people might include, as other examples, chemical industries who provide materials purchased by photographers and painters, or theaters that employ ushers and snack-bar workers.
As for the value of arts to the community, there's no way to put a cash value on the enjoyment people receive from exposure to diverse cultural activities, but "we feel that we impact the entire community of Burke County," said DiSanto.
The Burke Arts Council provides musical entertainment — its every-other-month Americana Stage music series hosts high-quality performers. Its Artists in Residence program and summertime children's art classes both supplement arts education in the schools. Its regional artist project, supported by grants from the N.C. Arts Council, helps local artists develop and expand their work. And its gallery showcases the work of 30-40 local artists and artisans throughout the year.
"These artists include full-time, part-time and hobbyists in the arts," DiSanto said. "I think we've seen growing strength in our artist base directly from an economy that is forcing people to look at different avenues toward income. Among woodworkers particularly we're seeing an increase in numbers and they're producing quality pieces of furniture."
The connection with the furniture industry is logical; Burke County has lost thousands of jobs since 2000 as furniture manufacturers closed and idled hundreds of skilled workers.
The challenge DiSanto said is to expand the market for their work. She said the Burke Arts Council is using the Internet both for communication with the artists and to get their work out to a wider audience. The council's Web site is www.burkearts.org.
After reading Tuesday's report on cultural industries, Elizabeth Furr in Valdese said, "I am thrilled that our state recognizes the economic impact of creative workers in improving quality of life and the economy for new and existing North Carolina residents."
The Old Rock School in Valdese is a cultural center for that community. It houses an auditorium specially designed to feature acoustic music — "We attract a lot of the best bluegrass bands," Furr remarked — two art galleries and a teaching studio for art classes. Its also the home for productions by the Old Colony Players.
Valdese also is known for its summertime outdoors production, "From This Day Forward."
"As far as the arts in Valdese, it's an amazing thing that we have so many arts activities in such a small town," Furr said. "When you count people in the art classes, the dance studios that perform here, the bluegrass audiences, visitors to the galleries and tourism, I would guess it's certainly touching thousands of people."
Many of the people who consume culture don't live in Valdese, she noted; they and their dollars come from other cities, even other states.
Furr explained, "The Old Rock School is a magnet for people from out of town, which helps the small town's economy tremendously. If we didn't have this little mini cultural center, the economy would be much less vibrant."
Like DiSanto, Furr has seen an increase in the number of local artists and artists. The Old Rock School regularly shows the work of 35 to 40. It also presents five major exhibits annually. The Rock School Arts Foundation helps support and encourage their development. Furr said that's "reinvesting in the community," but it's also an investment in the town's future.
Cultural activities complement the area's natural appeal to people who enjoy its aesthetic environment — the beautiful mountains, waterways, wild places and climate.
"In order for our economy to flourish we have to have those people spend time here," Furr said. "Many find those cultural things when they get here. It complements tourism."
Furr continued, "When the manufacturing plants were taken off-shore, we had to find something that would take its place. We can attract a class of people who could appreciate the arts and, hopefully would make a permanent home as a retirement communities. These retirement residents are the ones who have the time and money and really want the cultural activities."
Gov. Beverly Perdue, who joined the Department of Cultural Resources in Tuesday's announcement, said, "People with creative ideas, innovators and entrepreneurs bring investment and jobs to our communities. This report highlights the creative spark in North Carolina and will be a big help in economic development."