2012 conventions 2012 election 2013 session arts arts and culture author ballot measures basketball bomb books boy scouts budget bullying business charlie hales children clackamas climate change coal college courts crime culture culture club democrats drugs economy education environment family film fluoride food gay rights guns handguns health health care health insurance high school history housing immigration internet kitzhaber law legislature lgbt literary arts living marijuana marriage media medicine mental health military minor parties mohamed mohamud movies music native americans news newspaper obama olympics oregon our town parenting pers photography police politcs politics port portland portland business journal president prevention public safety religion republicans rnc romney rural salem sam adams sandy hook schools science shooting sports suicide supreme court taxes technology terrorism theater third parties transportation union university of oregon washington wildfire women

The true value of arts and culture to a city's well being and economic success is often underestimated. It is no accident that Portland is an attractive place for immigrants and many businesses who share its values as a place and community. Imagine e.g. McMenamin's brew pubs (a great Portland innovation) without their artistic and cultural focus. So investing in the arts as government or business is good for many great and fundamental reasons. The cultural life of Portland is a major part of why life here is good. In the event that public funding and support has to choose priorities, often the best approach is to support the innovative and development aspects to all the different artforms, in accordance with well crafted policies seeking identified outcomes, in anticipation of investing in the growth and future development and continuing success of each of those arts and their practitioners.

posted 5 years, 3 months ago
view in context