November 20, 2014 VOLU M E 1 0 | I S S UE 25
ArvadaPress.com A publication of
J E F F E R S O N C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
A time for tasting Annual event celebrates Arvada eateries By Crystal Anderson
canderson@colorado communitymedia.com It was a palatable event. The Taste of Arvada lured more than 600 community members out of the cold and into the Apex Center, 13150 W. 72 Ave., with promise of a wide array of delectable dishes and crafty drinks to devour. “This is such a cool event for us because we have a great mix of restaurants in Arvada,” said Kami Welch, president of the Arvada Chamber of Commerce. “This is such a great opportunity for us to show off and shine on our businesses in the area.” With more than 40 restaurants present, the guests had more than 100 samples to satisfy their appetite. “There’s a lot of places with things I tried, that now I’ll order,” said Katy West, Arvada resident. “It’s kind of neat to see the people who work at the restaurant or own them, and it’s so neat to see how hard they work.” From fried raviolis, barbecue and chicken masala to vintage cocktails and craft brews, residents from across the city sampled their way from place to place, learning about the businesses and enjoyAnna Schafer serves John Thomas, director of sales and marketing for AlphaGraphics, a fried cheese ravioli and Italian ing the food. “I think it’s awesome,” said Brei Miller, egg roll. Photo by Crystal Anderson
an Arvada resident. “Even though I live around here, there’s a lot of places I haven’t tried or been too that I’ll go to now.” For businesses, like 3 Sons Italian Restaurant & Bar, 14805 W 64th Ave., the event offers an opportunity to showcase the best of their business and interact with the community. “Arvada’s not a place where businesses are just existing, they’re there because there’s a higher sense of community,” said Anna Schafer, of 3 Sons. “Sixty percent of the people that I’m going to talk to still haven’t come into my restaurant.” Started in 1987 as the Taste of the Holidays, the Taste swiftly turned to into one of Arvada’s signature events. With extended hours of 5-8 p.m., this year’s Taste satisfied the community’s palate for food and connections. “We feel we’ve always been a part of Arvada,” said Brian Jackson, owner of the Grand Lake Brewing Tavern, 5610 Yukon St. “It’s very exciting, we’ve already met a lot of local business owners — it’s great for networking.” With a new layout and extra time, the taste accommodated more eateries, more businesses, and more guests, making this year’s event one of the biggest. “I’ve been helping with this event for five years, and to me, it seems to be the biggest one,” said John Bodnar, the chairman-elect for the Arvada Chamber of Commerce. “Even though there’s as many businesses, it just seems to flow better.”
Arts lead the way Study shows gains in economic impact By Clarke Reader
creader@colorado communitymedia.com Arts and cultural organizations do more than teach people about the world around them — they grow the economies of local communities That’s according to a recently released two-year study of 300 arts organizations in a seven-county metro area. The Colorado Business Committee for the Arts (CBCA) released its biennial Economic Activity Study of Metro Denver Culture on Nov. 7, which demonstrates the enormous financial and social impact exhibited by organizations funded by the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District. The seven counties that receive those funds are Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder Broomfield, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson. “The numbers are great and confirms what we ‘culturals’ have always known about the impacts the arts have,” said Cheryl McNab, director of Littleton’s Town Hall Arts Center. “The SCFD is a great bang for a taxpayer’s buck and produces some amazing things.” The SCFD distributes funds from a one-tenth of 1 percent sales and use tax to cultural facilities throughout the Denver metro area. The funds support cultural organizations whose purpose is to advance and preserve art, culture and science. The study — conducted since 1992 — gives results taken from the 2013 calendar year and represents data gathered from about 300 organizations in the seven counties. The numbers paint a vivid picture of just how much arts contribute to the econ-
AT A GLANCE The CBCA released its biennial report on the arts and economy — the last report was in 2011: Total economic activity: $1.85 billion in 2013, up 5.1 percent Total economic impact: $520.8 million, down only 1.2 percent Jobs and payroll: 10,205 workers, up 9 percent; $150.7 million in payroll and expenses in up 4 percent Volunteers: 44,438 volunteers contributed 1.77 million hours — the equivalent of 851 full-time employees and more than $44 million in donated time Corporate giving: $10.4 million, up 8.4 percent Cultural tourists: Up 17 percent Projected for 2028 Total economic activity: $3.82 billion Total economic impact: $989 million Jobs and payroll: 16,582 jobs omy. According to the study, the combination of operating expenses, audience spending and capital expenditures totaled $1.85 billion in 2013 up 5.1 percent from 2011, and new money injected to the economy came to $520.8 million. That number is down only down 1.2 percent from 2011, when the state was still deep in the throes of an economic downturn. “The study results allow us to talk about what we can do as organizations in economic terms,” said Philip Sneed, executive director of the Arvada Center. “It’s easy for some people to think of the arts as a luxury item, but we’re job creators who provide real jobs for real people.” The jobs and payroll numbers showed significant increases with cultural and scientific organizations employing 10,205 people, up 9.1 percent from 2011. The organizations earned $150.7 million in payroll and expenses in 2013, a 4 percent in-
The Arvada Center is one of the organizations included in a recent CBCA study on economic impacts of arts groups. Photo by Clarke Reader crease. One of the most startling numbers is the number of volunteers who helped out organizations throughout the metro area: 44,438 volunteers contributed 1.77 million hours. That is the equivalent of 851 fulltime employees and more than $44 million in donated time. “We have around 300 volunteers at the Arvada Center and they do all kinds of things — the biggest is ushering at our performances, but they also do tours and help with school groups,” Sneed said. “We count on them for everything we do.” Colorado saw the number of out-ofstate tourists participating in local arts and culture events increase by 17 percent from 2011 an increase doesn’t only benefit arts organizations. “We have many people who go to restaurants and other businesses while they’re out for us,” said Susan Martin, Lakewood Cultural Center administrator.
“And out of town performers stay in local hotels.” McNab, in Littleton, noted downtown Littleton businesses near the Town Hall Arts Center are major benefactors of having a cultural center close by. Looking to the future, the CBCA study forecasts that arts benefits for the economy will only grow — by 2028 the organization projects $3.82 billion in economic activity and $989 million in economic impact. They also project 16,582 jobs by the same year. These numbers give new and rising arts groups a goal to aim for as they continue to grow in their communities. Lakewood’s 40 West Arts District “will qualify for the SCFD next year, and I think the study shows what the arts can do,” said Bill Marino, 40 West chair. “The whole state is seeing the effects of the arts — they elevate the quality of life while improving the economy.”