Artless Zombie Syndrome

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