SwedlundJamestown (CSi) Jamestown Tourism Director, Searle Swedlund says, the arts has a significant economic impact on Jamestown and the area.

On Tuesday’s Wayne Byers Show on CSi Cable 2, he pointed out that the tourism Grant/Executive Board recent approved a request by the Jamestown Arts Center, to help fund a study on how the Art Center, impacts the area, in the amount of $2,750, or half the amount, for a study of the economic impact of the arts and culture on Jamestown.  The balance of the funds will come from the Americans for the Arts program.

Arts Center Director Cyndi Wish has said the North Dakota Council on the Arts is working with Americans for the Arts to do an economic Impact Study for North Dakota, which Jamestown’s will be a part of, separately. She said the Jamestown Arts Center will be cooperating  with the organizations on the Jamestown Study.

Materials she supplied to tourism, said the study will assist the Jamestown Arts Center, with accurate data when making a case to local and state legislators in understanding how the arts drive tourism, support economic development, help attract and retain new residents, and provide jobs.

She added that understanding the impact of the arts in Jamestown could be very helpful in lobbying to get the Jamestown Arts Center’s City budget allocation increased, allowing for expanded programming which will continue to support Jamestown’s tourism.

Americans for the Arts will facilitate an evaluation process for the study.

The last study was done in 2007, and she said is outdated

Swedlund also pointed out the importance concerning tourism of the changes at the Jamestown Arts Park, downtown.

He said three groups last week visited Jamestown including an architect, artists and agencies, concerning proposals for the stage to be built at the Arts Park.

He indicated that community input on the new elements is important as the work at Arts Park goes on.