Thursday, May 26, 2011

Michigan researchers find that cuts in arts funding hamper economic recovery

This comes from a story posted yesterday on www.physorg.com
Michigan is hurting its chances at economic recovery by slashing funding for the arts, according to a study by Michigan State University researchers. 
 The study found that arts and crafts activities – such as painting, dancing and filmmaking – are closely related to success of the scientists, engineers and other innovators who create new companies and inventions that stimulate the economy.  
Yet during the past decade Michigan has cut funding for the arts by some 90 percent – from about $25 million in 2002 to $2.3 million this year. In Detroit, officials attempting to balance the budget have proposed large cuts to the city’s arts and cultural institutions. 
 "Politicians often strip funding for arts and cultural assets, assuming they are expendable ‘extras,’ but this may be a serious policy error based on false assumptions,” said Rex LaMore, lead researcher on the project and director of MSU’s Center of Community and Economic Development.

3 comments:

  1. Tried to find the story and have failed so far. Please, when you refer to a particular posting, try to link directly. If the site TOS (stupidly) forbids that, at least post the proper URL. Thanks.

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  2. In line w/ my earlier post, I have found the source material. Here is a link to the final report:
    http://www.ced.msu.edu/reports/ARTSMART%20Report-FINAL.pdf

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  3. Thanks Walter. Ditched the e-mail with the link. We try to get the permalink in the story whenever we can.

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