Over the last few years, it has increasingly been demonstrated by study and practical experience that in rural regions arts and culture is not simply a nice to have extra but rather can be a powerful instrument of place making, people making and economical stimulating.
In this article, we discuss how arts and culture can be strategically invested in to ensure that rural economies thrive. To begin with, we explore the specific factors that make these investments effective. Furthermore, we highlight the key issues that must be addressed to overcome potential challenges. Finally, we examine how communities can harness their own creative resources to promote sustainable growth and long-term resilience.
The relevance of the arts and culture in the remote areas.
When we discuss economic growth of rural areas, we mostly refer to agriculture, infrastructure, manufacturing or tourism. The visual arts, performing arts, crafts, historical culture, design services, and cultural tourism make up the creative sector, an important and developing direction which suits the other well. For instance:
- In the US, the arts and culture industry contributed to the economy through 804.2 billion dollars/4.3 percent of the GDP in the year 2016. It also financed approximately five million wage and pay employment.
- The arts and culture production contributed approximately 67.5 billion to the economy in 2015 in states where 30% or more of the population is in the rural part of the state.
- Rural arts groups attract external visitors (31 a year) more than the urban arts groups (19.3 a year). This implies that they are able to attract external revenues outside the region.
- Rural counties that had performing arts groups experienced faster population growth and greater earnings as compared to other rural counties.
This implies that arts and culture in the rural areas is a means of earning an income (jobs, businesses, and sales) as well as a means of enhancing the other sectors (tourism, attracting talent, innovation, and local business). They enhance identity of people in a place, offer assets that distinguish a place, and may serve in retaining and attracting people.
The way the arts can bring economic benefits to the rural regions.
The ways in which a robust rural arts and culture sector could result in growth are a number of ways that are interconnected:
- Such a boost as the creation of jobs and business.
People are required to work in artists, craftspeople, cultural groups, galleries, theaters, and festivals, to provide resources, and services. Their expenditure has a spill over effect on the local economy. As an example, the nonprofit arts and culture sector in Wisconsin generated an estimated 933 million dollars of economic activity in 2022 that generated almost 15,800 jobs. - Tourism and the level of expenditure by the visitors.
Individuals visit cultural events, heritage sites, artisan trails and festivals and use money on food, hotel, transport, souvenirs among others. Arts-based tourism is gaining popularity in rural America as a way of developing the local economies. - Location identity and retaining or acquiring talent.
Brain drain and ageing population are some of the effects that people tend to abandon rural places. An energetic cultural life is one of the things that attract new residents, a creative businessman, and businesswoman. Arts groups contribute to making the lives of people enjoyable and participating in the activities of their communities. - Innovation spillovers in business.
Studies have shown that the rural areas with performing arts institutions tend to boast more design-based companies, enhanced innovativeness and higher increase in weekly wages. - Introducing fresh life to assets and infrastructure that remain idle.
The former mills, old houses, and abandoned warehouses can be transformed into a creative place, gallery, or theatrical space. This will generate employment and save the past.
Develop infrastructure and structures.
In order to make a larger cultural and financial contribution, it is significant that appropriate venues, exhibition areas, internet strategies, and transportation are available. Part of them might require specific financing in rural areas.
- Assist companies to develop and individuals acquire new expertise.
Artists and cultural entrepreneurs require business skills, marketing capabilities, market access (including online markets) and business expansion (beyond funding). - Make tourism more diverse and sustainable using culture.
Tourism may be seasonal or extractive, however, by introducing culture it is possible to lengthen the season, bring people back and also bring people in the community in a meaningful manner. - Check and measure the effect.
Moreover, comprehensive data on job creation, visitor spending, and business expansion provides strong evidence to support arts funding and development planning.
Conclusion
Improving your life is not the only reason why the arts and culture industry is a good business to do. Culture can be one method of giving a new life to the country since the traditional industries are stagnating or the citizens are diminishing. It may create employment, attract tourists, reinforce the local identity, and promote new ideas.
In doing so, you require a plan, partners, funds and good local leaders. The creative economy can help rural populations shift their perception of the arts as something that is not part of their development strategy to core. As a result, this will assist them in creating vibrant, sustainable, and successful locations where individuals would desire to stay and visit.