Shop or not?

Here in Yankeeland, the "arts" boils down to multiplex cinemas and overpriced concerts by overrated musical performers - hardly in need of government support.

A shame really but there is little demand and what government contributions are made to the arts is always the target of rotten tomatoes being flung from the right. "NOT WITH MY TAXPAYERS DOLLARS YOU DON'T!"

I have no opinion about the contribution of the arts to economic health and well being (if that's the discussion) as I have so little experience with it.

A magnificent Arts and Entertainment facility opened up here in Roanoke, VA two years ago (The Taubman Center for the Arts). A grand venture costing beaucoup dollars. Funding was provided through local government and private donation and investment. The battle on the local funding side was brutal, but the small and ardent faction of art lovers in the community won out in the end.

The place is empty most of the time. No one cares. I expect it to close it's doors soon.

 

It depends on how long the crisis lasts. Cash flow dries up eventually. The smaller and more tightly run a company, the quicker the drying up. Businesses which focus on sustained profitably attract investors. Investors rarely stay on board once they see the wall at the end of the cash flow tunnel.

But Apple is also very profitable. A net 3rd quarter profit of $3.25 billon last year.

 

Perhaps in your locale, that's what the people want. But I can think of a number of smaller cities with vibrant theater (Knoxville, TN), art (Chattanooga, Peoria, San Diego), food (Little Rock, Shreveport, Cheyenne) and music (Nashville, Memphis, Minneapolis) scenes. And those are just the ones where I have personal knowledge. When you get to the bigger cities - New York, Chicago, LA, San Francisco, Seattle, Houston - you usually find at least two out of the four in one form or another.

Honestly, I think that the problem lies more in suburbia than anywhere else in the US. Suburbia is homogenized almost militantly. But there are pockets of folks doing interesting things all over the place. Perhaps Virginia just isn't interested in art as much as they are music or theater.

 

I live in rural Southwest Virginia. In Northern VA, outside of DC, it's a different story. Larger cities and even smaller, more cosmopolitan cities such as Charlottesville, VA have an active and prosperous arts community.

The appreciation and support for the Arts is definitely focused in certain areas. I'd suggest they're areas populated by those with a more liberal mindset. Affluence and a higher standard of living doesn't hurt, either. I have no idea how much support these areas receive from their local government and community but where there is a desire for the arts, the arts will thrive.

I don't know if its only my perception based on my sorry-assed environment or reality, but I sense desire and support for the arts shrinking nationally much as it has for secular social programs as the battle to eliminate "artsy-fartsy and bleeding heart liberal crap" grows stronger,

I was in the Greater Atlanta area (Decatur specifically) recently and was pleasantly surprised to see that support for small venue entertainment arts at least, is in no danger of petering out.

Collectively, as a nation, I don't see the arts on top of any priority list here in the US.

 

A company, say a book publisher that publish what they think is good litterature before what seems to be profitable for the moment. Such a company can be legendary in time and survive a crisis much better then that bookpublisher who just did pleasing the market for quick cash.

 

how is a company going to survive a normal economy, much less a crisis, if it isn't out to make money?

 

In a perfect world.....

Then again, there is still good literature to be had. There's a niche for beer and a niche for champagne. The smart publisher finds his niche, markets to his niche, delivers to his niche, and profits from his niche. Not everyone has a taste for champagne, bow.

 

Making monney to end meens is not the same as to make profit.
--- merged: Jan 20, 2012 8:49 AM ---

And not everyone has a taste for profit, Jonie

 

i think it does, actually. maybe i'm wrong

 

I'm waiting for Baraka_Guru to blast the publisher bit.

Paper costs money, ink costs money, editors cost money, legal screeners cost money, man-hours costs money, shipping costs money, product placement costs money, marketing cost money, AUTHORS cost money.

so, how exactly can a publisher survive without a profit (or any other company)?

 

Very cynic of you two. Satisfied with breaking even economically and maybe make a revolution culturewise or being motivated by profit and just satisfy a market, is two COMPLETLY different things.

 

I edited before you answered. My point is that ecnomical profit doesn't satisfy me and is in no way my motivation in life. And it whouldn't change if I became a publisher.

 

No, but investing an unexpected profit in promoting more of what I like/belive in, yes.