Art and Theatre Drive the Community and Economy

If you think art exhibits and theatre performances are boring and out-dated, you aren’t alone.

Studies show a decline in attendance to art productions like theatre, the opera, and ballet. The study says people aren’t always as interested in going to see the arts, because technology is almost always right at their finger tips.

Artists gathered for a luncheon in downtown Macon today, to listen and find new ways to attract people to the arts.

But Miami based Knight Foundation, says getting people to experience the classics like these, is what makes a community come together. They also say it helps drive the economy forward.

“The arts brings people together, which is very important…it makes people feel better about, and more attached, to Macon,” Vice President of Arts/Miami Program Director of the Knight Foundation, Dennis Scholl says.

The Knight Foundation says its goal is to get more people, as well as people who never have, to experience art and theatre. They say the arts help to bring in revenue to the city through tourism and ticket sales.

But the Macon Arts Alliance Jim Coleman says, there is more to the arts, than just making money.

“The arts…that’s really the livelihood of the community. And it really doesn’t matter what in particular it is. It’s important to be involved, to be expressive,” Coleman explains.