Item B: Arts and Business Alliance of Eugene Update

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Cohen, Vice President for Research and Policy for Americans for the Arts. The spring breakfast provides the platform for Eugene’s arts awards. Eugene A Go-Go With a grant from the Oregon Community Foundation, ABAE has developed a comprehensive calendar and communication tool that will provide information to the arts community and its current and future patrons. This unique site builds a true online community through a rich social-media environment. That important difference is what makes Eugene A Go-Go ideal for both users and arts organizations. Information is provided to the arts community and its patrons, collaboration and communication among artists and patrons and future audiences is enhanced, performers are able to "own" sites within and a comprehensive events calendar is provided. Smaller organizations now have an online mechanism to keep their current and future patrons informed without the challenge of cost prohibitive development expenses. Eugene A Go-Go promotes everything in one place including events, artists and venues. To our knowledge, there is currently not another tool like this available. Arts and Economic Prosperity Study ABAE facilitated Eugene’s participation in the Arts & Economic Prosperity IV study, conducted by Americans for the Arts. The study is aimed at documenting the role that nonprofit arts and culture industry plays in strengthening the national and local economies. As a result, Eugene will receive a detailed, customized report with statistics and analyses about the arts and culture in the community, including the total dollars spent by Eugene’s nonprofit arts and culture organizations and the total dollars spent by audiences as a direct result of their attendance at arts and cultural events in Eugene. Communities that participated previously have used the findings as an advocacy tool for a variety of arts-related issues, including promoting arts education, increasing funding opportunities for artists and art organizations or exploring urban redevelopment projects. Data is currently being collected and the study is scheduled to be completed in June 2012. Arts and Culture District Downtown Eugene is home to a wide array of entertainment options including theater, dance, concerts, art galleries, and restaurants. With these great foundations, a well-defined Arts and Culture District with a mix of venues and activities would take downtown’s existing activities to the next level and attract more visitors, support a healthy downtown economy, and foster community identity. The ABAE is working to support an Arts and Culture District that would tap the potential of events and venues to characterize downtown as a rich arts and culture center. Arts and culture sectors attract visitors to downtown whose purchases cause rippling economic effects in other sectors. Downtown restaurants, hotels, parking garages, and retail stores all experience positive economic benefits from visitors to arts and culture-related events. By improving the quality and livability of Eugene with the addition of a designated Arts and Culture District, downtown will become more attractive to companies considering relocation. ABAE is currently researching best practices/models for successful Arts and Culture Districts in communities similar to Eugene and mapping arts and cultural assets in Downtown Eugene. RELATED CITY POLICIES This item supports the City Council’s Vision and Goals for Accessible and Thriving Culture and Recreation, Sustainable Development and Effective and Accountable Municipal Government. It also supports the implementation of priority strategies identified in the Cultural Policy Review. \\Cesrv500\cc support\CMO\2011 Council Agendas\M110420\S110420B.doc