The arts work, for Toledo and Ohio

The arts are a real and vital part of Ohio’s economy, and a key ingredient in making our communities great places to live. They also address what Gov. John Kasich has called the need to make Ohio cool for its young professionals.

As one of Ohio’s legacy cities, Toledo boasts some of our state’s finest arts institutions and artists. With the support of the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo, the city is tapping into these artists’ and organizations’ creativity and energy to breathe new life into downtown and surrounding neighborhoods.

Toledo’s story of how the arts community has galvanized its reputation for industrial design — and continues to energize its local economy—is a compelling illustration of what investment in the arts can achieve. But Toledo offers just one of many examples of how art works for Ohio.

The arts mean jobs and economic benefits in large cities and small communities throughout the state. And these returns represent only the first chapter of an unfolding story.

In an economy driven by creative ideas and innovative solutions, the Ohio Arts Council — the state arts agency — is helping communities use their artistic and cultural assets to create new jobs for Ohioans, increase economic and community vitality, and sharpen Ohio’s competitive edge in the global marketplace.

When states invest in economic development, they focus taxpayer resources on industries that create good jobs, stimulate short-term business activity, and pave the way for long-term growth. Ohio’s creative industries, nonprofit arts organizations, and arts-centered businesses meet that test.

Collectively, the arts employ 231,000 Ohioans, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. They contribute $25 billion to our state’s economy, a study by the Center for Regional Development at Bowling Green State University concludes.

To put that impact in perspective: If a single company contributed more than $25 billion to the state’s economy, it would be Ohio’s fourth-largest company and would rank 95th on the Fortune 500 list of companies. If all Ohioans who work in creative industries worked for one company, it would be the largest employer in the state.

Creative industries generate not only artistic jobs but also business, service, and technical positions. The $25 billion produced by Ohio’s creative industries reflects the tax revenues these industries generate and what they spend in communities.

That figure doesn’t include these industries’ many indirect economic benefits. Consider what tourist attractions such as the Quilt Barn driving trail in southern Ohio, the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Westcott House in Springfield, and the Black Swamp Arts Festival in Bowling Green do for local restaurants, hotels, shops, and other businesses.

Consider the impact of arts-centered community development projects, such as the Arts Zone that is home to more than 40 artists in Toledo’s downtown core, or the Gordon Square Arts District in Cleveland, which has created 520 jobs since 2006.

These and other creative places in Ohio’s cities increase economic vitality in once-depressed areas and raise property values. They also amp up the cool factor in community life, attracting the young creative professionals who Ohio needs.

Not yet measured is the economic impact of Ohio’s investment in arts learning. Business leaders from companies as varied as General Electric, Xerox, and Glaxo SmithKline have called for more attention to arts education.

A report by the Conference Board ranks creativity/innovation among the top five skills that employers say will increase in importance over the next five years. The study asserts that “the arts — music, creative writing, drawing, dance — provide skills sought by employers of the third millennium.”

We need to continue to bring the creativity and imagination of our youth, the civic spirit of our communities, and the rich diversity of our state into the economic picture by investing in the arts. Ohio’s investment in a strong creative sector, arts-rich communities, and readiness of students for innovation completes our economic picture.

Julie S. Henahan is executive director of the Ohio Arts Council.