WARNING Artless Zombie Syndrome
Louisiana-wide Artless Alert Effective Early 2014 to End of Legislative Session
ARTLESS ZOMBIE THREAT CONFIRMED!
Citizens asked to remain calm, advised to boost their personal and community creativity levels immediately, and follow the prescribed remedy to avoid artless zombification in Louisiana In Louisiana, we know that our state is special.
The LCA and LPA do this by promoting the growth
No other place has our rich heritage and vibrant
of local arts organizations, advancing the role of
sense of creativity, culture, cuisine, history, and
arts education in our schools, and combating
connection to the environment. Today, our state’s
artlessness each and every day.
artists, artisans, chefs, performers, writers, producers, educators, and public officials are
The organizations encourage a strong creative
working to sustain and grow this extraordinary
workforce in Louisiana through educational
cultural identity. Our very humanity is at stake.
workshops, networking events, and specific professional development opportunities. And they
If the latest reports of an Artless Zombie outbreak
work with local arts councils to conduct community
are true, we must all rally together to ensure the
outreach and legislative advocacy in support of
preservation and advancement of our identity.
Louisiana’s zombie-less cultural industry.
Collectively, we must boost our creative potential and reaffirm our unique sense of place. Our shared
This year, following Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne’s
Undead and Brainless
culture depends on it.
recommendation for an increased Louisiana
Before the onset of Artless Zombie Syndrome, this Lafeyette bank teller was mild mannered and harmless. But she hadn’t danced in three years, her piano was untuned and gathering dust, and the last poem she read aloud was in high school. Now, look at her, becoming more artless by the day, losing touch with her creative side. Brainless. But there is hope...
Division of the Arts budget, the LCA and LPA ask The Louisiana Citizens for the Arts and the
for your help to ensure that Artless Zombie
Louisiana Partnership for the Arts are the largest
Syndrome is a thing of the past.
creative-based grassroots organizations in the state. They serve every facet of Louisiana’s
According to the Centers for Disease Control’s Anti-
complex arts community, including artists, arts
zombification bureau, current levels of arts funding
professionals, educators, patrons, nonprofit
are too low to ensure zombie eradication. Please
organizations, and numerous agencies. They even
encourage your legislators to approve a “growth
serve ex-zombies, and those who fear Artless
budget” for the Louisiana Division of the Arts for the
Zombie Syndrome..
2015 Session.
LET’S MAKE LOUISIANA THE STATE OF THE
Arts and Cultural Production ...accounts for 3.2 Percent ($504 Billion) of our national GDP: larger than the country's tourism industry, which has a 2.8 percent share; only slightly less than the building and construction industry.
ARTS!
America’s Creative Industries Represent $504 Billion of Annual GDP! According to the Federal Government, and data released last
education (including post-secondary fine arts schools, fine arts and
December, the Arts and Cultural Production Account of the official Gross Domestic Product is 3.2 Percent of total. That’s $504 Billion (from 2011
performing arts departments, and academic performing arts centers) with an Arts and Cultural Production output of $104 billion. Cable television
financial data) attributable to the creative industries in America.
production and distribution with $100 billion in output and
This is larger than the country's tourism industry, which has a 2.8 percent share of GDP, and only slightly less than the share represented by the building and construction industry. The leading contributing industries were motion picture and
“motion picture and video goods and services” with $83 billion in output had the third and fourth largest shares.
The message and prescription are clear
In 2011, the production of arts and cultural goods and services employed 2 million workers and generated $289.5
video production, advertising services, cable television production and distribution, publishing, and the performing arts.
billion in employee compensation in the form of wages, salaries, and supplements.
For 2011, the gross output of Arts and Cultural Production in America was
The message is clear: the most likely way to avoid artless zombification of
$916 billion. Advertising (creative content only) held the largest share of
our citizens and our communities is for Louisiana to embrace heritage,
Arts and Cultural Production with an output of $200 billion, or 20 percent
culture, and the arts—and support the creative industries as a driver of our
of all arts and cultural commodities. The second largest share was arts
extraordinary humanity!
RX: CREATIVITY IS THE CURE
ARTS
CULTURE
HERITAGE
EXPRESSION
Support your community’s theaters, dancers, poets, musicians, and film-makers
Realize that our culture is unique, fascinating, and defined by what we do together
Celebrate the history, traditions, and folkways that make us unique
Encourage others, friends and relations, to express who they are
Here’s a look at what the Louisiana Arts Community did for our State in 2013
Total revenues of Louisiana arts organizations supported by state programs has major impact
$1,000,000 was invested by the state in the
$3.5 million was contributed to local government
Decentralized Arts Funding (DAF) Program: 247
revenue directly by arts organizations in Louisiana,
grants were awarded for community-based
ensuring zombie-free communities. And $4 million
programming across all 64 parishes. Our state, on
was contributed to state government revenue
behalf our living and breathing culture, can do
directly by arts organizations.
CREATIVE CURE
even better! $959,466 was invested in the Statewide Arts Grant (SAG) Program. 96 grants were awarded to Louisiana arts organizations. Imagine how many
The audiences of our state’s non-profit arts industry generated $159 million in economic activity related to their arts participation.
fewer zombie outbreaks would happen if that
The sum of the impact of arts organizations and
funding were doubled?
their audiences on local government revenue is
Through arts grant, 6.2 million residents and
$11.5 million.
visitors received the benefits of state supported
The sum of the impact of arts organizations and
arts programming. They remain healthy and
their audiences on state government revenue is
happy, with none of them show signs of
$14.1 million.
zombification. All totaled, state arts grants leveraged a 7:1 22,857 jobs were supported in part by the above
impact, and kept Louisiana zombie-free. For every
referenced arts grants; including seasonal,
$1 spent by the state on arts grants, $7 were
contract, part-time, and full-time employment of
returned by arts organizations to state coffers.
non-zombies. The figures above were compiled before the Artless Zombie Syndrome outbreak, and based on Louisiana grantee data and Americans for the Arts (Arts & Economic Prosperity calculator).
This young man will never be an artless zombie!
Will you? The Remedy is Easy None of the creative people above will ever have to suffer Artless Zombie Syndrome — they are safe against a dull and mundane existence because they paint, sing, dance, express themselves, and make our communities better places. Ten out of ten doctors suggest a healthy diet of artistic experiences and a lifelong regime of creativity.
11 REASONS TO SUPPORT THE ARTS (compiled by Americans for the Arts)
1. Arts promote true prosperity. The arts are fundamental to our humanity.
5. Arts drive tourism. Arts travelers are ideal tourists, staying
They ennoble and inspire us — fostering
longer and spending more to seek out
creativity, goodness, and beauty. The arts help
authentic cultural experiences. The U.S.
us express our values, build bridges between
Department of Commerce reports that
cultures, and bring us together regardless of
the percentage of international
ethnicity, religion, or age.
travelers including museum visits
2. Arts improve academic performance. Students with an education rich in the arts have higher GPAs and standardized test scores, and lower drop-out rates — benefits reaped by
on their trip has grown steadily since 2003 (18 to 24 percent). The share attending concerts and
The Brass Band May Save Us All!
theater performances has grown from 14 to 17 percent since 2003.
9. Arts improve healthcare.
students regardless of socio-economic status.
6. Arts are an export industry.
Nearly one-half of the nation’s healthcare
Students with 4 years of arts or music in high
U.S. exports of arts goods (e.g., movies, paintings, jewelry) grew to $72 billion in 2011,
for patients, families, and even staff. 78 percent
school average 100 points better on their SAT scores than students with just one-half year of
while imports were just $25 billion—a $47 billion
arts or music.
arts trade surplus.
3. Arts strengthen the economy.
7. Arts spark creativity and innovation.
10. Arts mean business.
The Conference Board reports that 72 percent of
The Creative Industries are arts businesses that
reports that the arts and culture
business leaders say that creativity is of high
range from nonprofit museums, symphonies,
sector represents 3.25 percent of the nation’s
importance when hiring. The biggest creativity
and theaters to for-profit film, architecture, and
GDP—a larger share of the economy than
indicator? A college arts degree. Their Ready to
design companies. A 2014 analysis of Dun
tourism and agriculture. The nonprofit arts
Innovate report concludes, “The arts—
& Bradstreet data counts 750,453 businesses in
industry alone generates $135 billion in
music, creative writing, drawing, dance—provide
the U.S. involved in the creation or distribution of
economic activity annually (spending by
skills sought by employers of the 3rd
the arts that employ 3.1 million people—
organizations and their audiences) that supports
millennium.” Nobel laureates in the sciences are
representing 4.2 percent of all businesses and
4.1 million jobs and generates $22.3 billion in
17 times more likely to be actively engaged in
2.2 percent of all employees, respectively.
government revenue.
the arts than average scientists.
(Download a free Creative Industry report for
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
4. Arts are good for local merchants.
institutions provide arts programming deliver these programs because of their healing benefits to patients—shorter hospital stays, better pain management, and less medication.
your local community.)
8. Arts have social impact.
Attendees at nonprofit arts events spend $24.60
University of Pennsylvania researchers have
11. Arts prevent zombie apocalypse.
per person, per event, beyond the cost of
demonstrated that a high concentration of the arts in a city leads to higher civic engagement,
Do we really want to see a Louisiana filled with
admission on items such as meals, parking, and babysitters. Attendees who live outside
more social cohesion, higher child welfare, and
the parish in which the arts event takes place
lower poverty rates. A vibrant arts community
spend twice as much as their local counterparts
ensures that young people are not left to be
($39.96 vs. $17.42)—meaning valuable revenue
raised solely in a pop culture and tabloid
for local businesses.
marketplace.
Artless Zombie Syndrome
REMEDY
artless citizens on an endless search for brains? Be smart, and zombie-free! Support our state’s extraordinary arts, culture, and heritage organizations and efforts!
Preventive Care! Write a poem, sing a song, learn to dance, make a film, tell a story, engage in conversation, preserve your community, attend a festival, share your culture, be creative, support a state that cares about the arts!
JOIN US!
Support LCA! Do you want to make Louisiana the most creative place on earth? Contact us today (details on back cover) to support our efforts and keep our state filled with creative opportunities and free of artless zombies!
PLEASE SUPPORT THE LCA TODAY! Louisiana Citizens for the Arts’ most important program is advocacy for arts funding from the state legislature. This funding is administered by the Louisiana State Arts Council and the Louisiana Division of the Arts. Through the Decentralized Arts Funding program (DAF), funds are distributed on a per capita basis to every parish in the state. The LCA lobbies public policy makers to encourage strong arts support and creative
Support a Creative and Expressive Louisiana The Louisiana Citizens for the Arts relies solely on contributions from organizations, companies, and individuals who are committed to ensuring the health and growth of Louisiana’s Cultural Economy. The majority of the LCA’s activities revolve around advocacy. Join us and support efforts like these:
Please keep me out of Louisiana!
—Regional Cap-Wiz training for LCA members —Attending Arts Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C.
infrastructure. For the past several years, the
—Encouraging members to invite legislators
LCA has been a partner with the Office of the
and their staff to events
Lieutenant Governor, as groundbreaking cultural economy legislation made its way through the legislative process.
—Tracking the State’s cultural agenda —Offering monthly advocacy tips
LOUISIANA CITIZENS FOR THE ARTS Anti-Zombification Bureau Naomi Cordill, Administrative Coordinator 4030 Front Street, Suite B Winnsboro, LA 71295
—Publishing an advocacy calendar —Compiling a set of legislative talking points —Maintaining strong relationships with legislative floor leaders —Promoting arts education —Advocating for increased arts funding