Piqua Arts Council: More Than Just Entertainment

PIQUA – The Piqua Arts Council (PAC) has enriched the Piqua community in many ways over the past 31 years. It provides customers with premium entertainment, such as Rock Piqua and Sound of Seasons, for free or at a reduced cost. It offers personal enrichment such as artist workshops led by internationally award-winning teachers, Art 4 Everyone, which provides novices with hands-on experience in all aspects of art, and a creative classroom program that exposes primary school students to the performing arts. But the Piqua Arts Council’s impact on our community goes far beyond pure entertainment and personal enrichment. Its economic impact on Piqua is enormous.

Research done by Americans for the Arts, a national arts advocacy organization, shows that arts organizations have an economic impact on their local communities. For every dollar a PAC spends directly at Piqua by purchasing items such as workshop supplies or catering, event attendees spend an additional 50 cents on related expenses such as babysitting, clothing purchases, transportation and meals, which adds to the PAC’s direct expenditures.

A recent regional survey by Americans for the Arts in this part of the United States found that patrons of arts events spend an average of $17.87 per patron, more than admission fees to arts events. If the customer travels more than 20 miles, that number rises to $30.17. The PAC program, which affects more than 5,000 patrons annually, adds a staggering $300,000 to the Piqua economy; $200,000 in direct PAC spending and an additional $100,000 in patron spending.

PACs also influence the development of local workforces. Workers who anticipate moving to another location consider more than their expected wages. They look for communities that offer affordable activities that enrich their lives and that of their families. Not only do they consider the types of housing and employment opportunities available, they also consider the recreational possibilities of the community. This is where PACs shine! Year-round low-cost services for all ages help make Piqua an attractive community in which to relocate and encourage a steady workforce to meet the needs of local employers. PACs are more than just entertainment. It is attractive to would-be community residents and is an important part of Piqua’s continued economic development.