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Economic development needs the arts
By Pat Boyd, Executive Director, South Dakotans for
the Arts
One of the most important elements of Governor Rounds’ 2010 Initiative is economic development—long-term action plans for improving the prosperity of our state and its citizens through job creation, entrepreneurial encouragement and educational partnerships to assure a bright future for our young people. One of the most critical components in the success of economic development in South Dakota is a healthy arts community.
Think about it. The reason families and companies come to South Dakota is to achieve a combination of economic success and quality of life. The elements which make our lives richer, fuller and more enjoyable are our cultural opportunities. Those may be performances, visual arts environments or educational systems that develop the whole child—in short, the arts.In addition to recruitment, the arts aid economic development by providing a vehicle for entrepreneurial activity in communities of every size, anywhere in the state. Artists and artisans throughout South Dakota are creating and displaying their works through electronic and physical galleries that can be established in the smallest of our rural communities and succeed in garnering a national audience. When that audience makes South Dakota a summer vacation stop to check out a gallery or working studio, we have added to our tourism industry, as well.
The rich cultural diversity of this state includes our Native arts, immigrant crafts and a wealth of working artists who have chosen to create in South Dakota, regardless of their state or country of origin. This makes South Dakota a perfect state for nurturing the arts. The return has been national publicity for some of our well-known writers and artists. This creates an awareness of our state among decision-makers in corporate boardrooms nationwide—a big boost to economic development.
Bringing business to our state—and to individual communities of all sizes—is an important part of Governor Rounds’ vision for South Dakota. By encouraging, enhancing and energizing the arts all across our state, we can participate in that vision and make South Dakota the best place in America to raise a family and grow a business.
For more about cultural development in South Dakota, visit www.sdarts.org, a joint website of South Dakotans for the Arts and the South Dakota Arts Council.
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