I know of an arts guru who has devoted decades of his professional life to our regional and national arts scenes. I'll call him Mr. Cool. There's another fellow who has dedicated his professional life to building literal steel/brick-and-mortar things. I'll call him Mr. Steel. Years ago, in a group setting, there was a business disagreement between Mr. Cool and Mr. Steel. Suffice it to say, both men let there opinions be known, which then prompted Mr. Steel to fire back at Mr. Cool something like "...you wouldn't know. You're one of those artsy types...". I'm sure that was not the exact quote, but something of that spirit motivated Mr. Cool to share the insult in other public speeches for years to come, including the one that I attended about a year or so ago.
My point is this. There are perceptive disconnects, if not serious barriers, between what we call the Arts and the Business communities. One is creative. One is serious. One cares little about P&L statements. One cares too much about the bottom line per fiscal quarter. Did I just peg one or the other with each of those tags in bold? Nope.
Art is business...and...many businesses are works of art, as well.
Click a few times and see the Research Summary compiled @ http://www.americansforthearts.org/ .
Community-engaged businesses and the creative Arts should be a perpetual marriage per community where both talents exist. Mr. Steel creates works of art in each structure he helps build. Those in each new building impact their business, other businesses, families, and our economy in ways that visual and musical artists cannot. Those in Mr. Steel's world do a great deal to raise awareness and funding for the arts community too. Mr. Cool has survived or thrived in business for a couple of decades, which cannot happen without prudent and productive business moves as economic ups and downs, artistic talents, and consumers of art come and go. Mr. Steel and Mr. Cool have success, failure, and wicked educations about our human condition in common. We just need, at least in very conservative communities, to better connect the two in minds and hearts for mutual gains.
Where to start? "...it's for the kids" is a good place. The importance of arts and artistic learning in our schools is just gaining ground in research, which must be translated well in fly-over America. Many business-minded folks still seem to think that we must focus on basics in education, testing, and old means to mediocre results, especially in southern states like ours.
On to better solutions and opportunities ahead....The Dana Foundation just compiled and delivered a heavy report last month (pdf @ www.dana.org/WorkArea/showcontent.aspx?id=23972 ) that drills down into just how a creative way of approaching kids and their learning experience is overdue in most communities around our country. Empirical data is still on its way too in many communities, even here with our own state, which has an embarrassing performance record in education. As the Dana Summit participants concluded, creative learning and methods implemented in schools lead to better engagement, greater educational satisfaction, and innovation during the most formative years....all characteristics of a better workforce and community leaders of the future ( www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2007/09/02/art_for_our_sake/ ).
It is obvious that our solutions for improved educational performance, a smarter workforce, and greater economic opportunities are in each community's control, as well as each state capitol, but far from the current dysfunction of our nation's capitol. Like with any new business solution in the marketplace, some states and communities are the innovators or early adopters, while many are early to late majorities and laggards. Fortunately, with the right messages and networking between our creative Business and Arts communities, each and everyone of us can push the buttons needed to get us to the former groups and out of the latter.
Think about the potential in your community and just do something to help your Mr. Steel's and Mr. Cool's get along for your community's greater good.
Have a great day,
Brad
