Bau’s Blaug
The latest news from “the Big Cheese” – Executive Director Bau Graves.
State grant a major step for the School – and the local economy
On July 13, Governor Quinn signed into law the 2009 Illinois Capital Bill. This measure funds significant capital and infrastructure initiatives throughout the state, and the Governor was explicit in stating his hope that it will provide substantial economic stimulus at a time when it is badly needed. The bill includes $2.3 million toward the construction of Old Town School’s new facility, the largest single gift in the School’s history. We are pleased and proud that the Legislature and Governor have so tangibly recognized the important role that Old Town School plays as an engine of economic prosperity.
The School plans to transform an empty lot a across the street into a state-of-art arts facility for teaching, performances, and community collaborations. The 27,000 square foot building will feature acoustically-engineered classrooms including 3 large dance studios equipped with sprung floors and wireless sound; a flexible-use space that quickly converts into a dance hall, small performance space, or community gathering area; full accessibility for a “strollers to wheelchairs” approach to diverse student needs; and green design to achieve nationally-recognized LEED certification for environmentally-friendly construction and operations.
Most of us who are involved in the arts know firsthand the impact that our presence has in turning around troubled neighborhoods. Americans for the Arts conducted several exhaustive surveys to be able to quantify what that “multiplier” impact really is – when a concert or a play or a gallery opening takes place, how much additional economic activity does it really generate? The answer: $28.05 per attendee; i.e. every person who comes to a concert or attends a class at Old Town School spends an average of $28.05 at local restaurants, hotels, parking, paying for babysitters. At this rate, the School’s clientele is pumping nearly $11 million into the local economy every year. The new building will generate another $6.4 million in neighborhood prosperity.
The School is also a major employer, supporting a staff of almost 300 teachers and administrators with a payroll of $5.2 million and nearly another million dollars in artists’ concert fees. Americans for the Arts’ research show that a business of this magnitude creates an additional 281 jobs at nearby businesses. The new facility will create 250 more good, solid jobs that, thanks to the School’s continued vitality in the depths of recession, are certifiably sustainable. The point here is that the state’s investment in Old Town School will have immediate, verifiable and long term benefits – including the generation of millions of dollars of local and state tax revenues. It’s good business.
Filed under: Uncategorized by Bau | July 24, 2009 | Comments (0)
