The Art of Recovery

by Fiona Bond, Executive Director, Creative Waco

The “wow factor” that great art brings to public spaces is a visible, obvious quality of life win; but it turns out that there are multiple, measurable ways that cultural arts experiences make humans more happy, connected, successful, and hopeful…and Waco is increasingly getting support and recognition for this.

People across our community were breathing a (premature, as it turned out) sigh of relief in April 2021. Finally, it seemed, the pandemic might be subsiding enough to permit carefully planned public events. Creative Waco took the plunge, and announced “Wacotown Chalk + Walk”, an opportunity to view Austin Avenue resplendent with 55 temporary artworks made from professional grade chalk paint (it’s “a thing”) on pavement and walls, sponsored by local businesses, accompanied by over 100 creative vendors selling food, art and fashion. It provided a much-needed boost for creative businesses that rely on festivals and events for their income, but more importantly, it was a joyful reminder of how much “In Real Life” (IRL) experiences have a kind of magic that is almost impossible to fully replicate in the virtual realm. The event attracted over 12,000 people. Seventy five percent of vendors exceeded their weekend’s sales goals by lunchtime on the first day, and the event delivered an estimated economic impact of $2 million. We knew on a very granular level how important these wins were, as over 60 of those artists and vendors were direct beneficiaries of our TFNB and Hemisphere Aerospace sponsored “Greenhouse” arts business development program, recipients of our emergency relief for individuals and businesses whose revenue was decimated due to COVID emergency measures, and/or participants in our various community arts programs during the pandemic.

Beyond those economic wins, the sense of joy, connection, and shared exuberance that weekend was palpable, and was remarked on across the board by artists, vendors and visitors in conversation, and in their evaluations…perhaps because these kinds of experiences had been so visibly and painfully missing.

The Chalk Festival became a powerful catalyst for further experimental programming. City Center Waco partnered with Creative Waco, Waco Civic Theatre, Waco Community Choir, The Hispanic Chamber, school districts and others to activate the pedestrianized 7th street plaza now festooned with chalk murals, and a magnet for visitors. Over the Summer and Fall, this has become a safe outdoor space to present musical theatre, gospel music, salsa dance nights, open mic opportunities, pop-up markets, and much more.

In a season that has been characterized by separation, division, anxiety, uncertainty and fear; shared creative experiences can offer a powerful antidote that makes us more resilient as individuals and as a community. Visual art, music, theatre, dance, film, festivals and cultural events present “IRL” opportunities to come together unfettered by the forces that divide.

Pre-pandemic, there was already a strong body of research from economists like Richard Florida, and local legend Ray Perryman showing that communities which do a good job of investing strategically in creative and cultural arts growth and infrastructure experience stronger economic development, better attraction and retention of talent, livelier entrepreneurial culture, better educational outcomes (at all levels), more pathways out of poverty, reduced crime, enhanced community pride, increased prosocial behavior and sense of connection and belonging, and better quality of life.

As we process the impact of the pandemic years, there is emerging research that shows the potency of the cultural connections we lost when live events could not take place.

Meanwhile, back in Waco and McLennan County, our community is attracting new attention and resources for this work. Waco is at a “goldilocks” moment due to our current stage of development, our population size and demographic spread, our recent cultural flourishing, and the fact we have been able to track strong impact data around arts investment and growth. As a result, two major national programs have selected Waco, and this is creating exciting opportunities not just for our arts innovators, but for our whole community.

In November 2021, National Endowment for the Arts chose Waco as one of only four cities in Texas (the only city under 500,000 population) to redistribute grant funds from the American Rescue Plan for arts projects and programs designed to re-ignite the economy postpandemic, to reconnect people around shared cultural experiences, and to promote diversity, equity and inclusion.

In the same month, Creative Waco received a two-year grant from Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation to become the first city in Texas to pilot the highly successful AIR Institute program, whose community-facing workshops help creatives learn business skills and businesses unlock their creative potential. It’s a win for artists, businesses, and a powerful funnel into entrepreneurship (we are proud to partner with Waco’s strong entrepreneurship and small business ecosystem), and cross-sector community-focused problem-solving. We are thrilled that Waco will also be the first community nationwide to offer this program bilingually.

We want to invite our Greater Waco business sector to get curious and help us figure out how to unfold these opportunities for maximum benefit, and decide where we go next. What would it take for Waco to truly become an arts hub and a cultural destination? What would that mean for Waco’s people and places? Currently, every dollar we invest in our non-profit arts sector leverages an average $17.00 in direct spending, an additional audience spend (e.g. on beverages, food, and transportation of $17.50, and generates a local tax revenue of $2.05 (data from Waco-specific Americans for the Arts AEP5 study, 2016). That’s huge! Not only is that already a great return on investment for our community, but layer onto this the quality of life and prosocial impacts listed above that we know are consistently correlated with arts investment, and we think that makes a compelling case that investing in our city’s artistic growth and cultural infrastructure is a powerful win for everyone, and from every angle.

If you are interested in being part of this vision for our community, there are some great ways we’d like to invite you and your business to be part of the magic, and part of Waco’s cultural growth:

You can be a supporter by doing cool things and having fun. Whether it’s symphony or salsa, beats or ballet, new theatre or new art center, your participation and patronage matter. If you really love something, become a member or season ticket holder. Learn what’s happening in an instant at wacoinsider.com.

We’re about to launch the next Chalk Waco Festival featuring “art, food, fashion and fun”, May 14-15. Whether you are an artist, vendor, performer, designer or sponsor, we’d love to find your perfect spot. Email julie@creativewaco.org for info.

Thanks to another NEA grant, we are creating a Public Art Strategic Plan for Waco. If you care about sculpture, murals, placemaking, history, and urban design, sign up to participate in the online survey and consultation process at www.creativewaco.org/master-plan-interest-form.

We just worked with City of Waco and Keen Independent Research on a feasibility study for a new performing arts center for downtown Waco. If you’d like to be part of the “idea to opening night” process, and have applicable skills, resources or expertise, please email Bri@creativewaco.org.

If you are a creative that would like to become more business savvy, a business person that would like to explore how creativity could help you level up, or a community organization that wants to take a creative problem-solving approach to a knotty issue, the new AIR Institute program could be your launchpad. Contact Program Director Sol@creativewaco.org.

We are always looking for people from our business community to engage with our ARTPrenticeship program that teaches talented high school students the skills needed to take a creative idea from concept to completion by painting fabulous murals in prominent community locations. Each apprentice has a professional artist mentor, and a community member or business that sponsors their individual success. This workforce development program delivers opportunity, career readiness, and beauty for our city. Contact Stefanie@creativewaco.org.

If you have a well-located wall that could be transformed by a mural, an event that needs a musician, or a sales team that could use some theatre-led coaching, we have an online mural inquiry process and a creative directory. You’ll be amazed what you can find! Check out www. creativewaco.org/mural-interest-form.

If you have kids or grandkids, you may be interested to discover our Creative Summer Camp Calendar. You can find it at www.creativewaco.org/summercamps.

We need connective experiences that give us reasons to gather in person uncoupled from all the things that separate us. Experiencing art, craft, music, theatre, dance, literature, film and storytelling of all kinds not only enriches our quality of life, but gives us and our children an architecture for unity, creativity, connection…and hope.

"The success of my family’s business depends on finding and cultivating a creative and innovative workforce. I have witnessed firsthand the power of the arts in building these business skills. When we participate personally in the arts, we strengthen our ‘creativity muscles,’ which makes us not just a better ceramicist or chorus member, but a more creative worker—better able to identify challenges and innovative business solutions." Christopher Forbes, Vice Chairman, Forbes, Inc., in Americans For the Arts’ “Arts & Economic Prosperity” report, 2016.