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After 6 years of persistence and hard work, Chestnut Creek School of the Arts is now offering classes that appeal to local, regional and visiting students; classes appealing to youth or adults; traditional and contemporary genres in music, literary arts, fiber arts, 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional arts; in a series, for a weekend, for the day or for a week.
Appalachian Regional Commission grants and generous local donors have allowed CCSA to purchase and begin renovation on a building at 100 Main Street in Galax, expected to be completed in the fall of 2009.
Galax is entrenched in downtown revitalization and CCSA is at the heart of the growth. Not only is CCSA positioned to be a pivotal part of the attraction to draw people to Galax and the region for family vacations, it has already proven to be an economic stimulus in attracting new businesses to downtown Galax. Several examples include Artifax Art and Office Supplies, City Gallery/Fine Art, Chestnut Creek Coffee House, Oldtown Pottery, The Big Blue Magazine and The Purple Feet Winery. Through partnering with local lodging facilities, restaurants, area festivals and others interested in developing travel packages, CCSA continues to assist in stimulating the local economy.
CCSA is creating income opportunities for local artisan-instructors who will be selectively chosen on the basis of mastery of their craft and their experience and strength in teaching, as well as their enthusiasm in sharing their talents. These instructors will cultivate another layer of confident artisan who will permeate the Crooked Road and open studios to complement ‘Round the Mountain, SW VA’s Artisan Network, two other valuable tourism related entities. We continue to build a solid foundation of arts, music and craft enthusiasts.
The arts in Virginia are a billion dollar a year business. A May 2001 report from the crafts industry states that crafts alone are a $14 billion dollar industry each year nationwide.
A National Endowment for the Arts (www.arts.gov) executive summary “Artists in the Workforce” 1990-2005 says that artists(artists being actors, architects, fine arts, art directors, animators, dancers, choreographers, designers, entertainers and performers, musicians, writers and authors):
- There is no way to understand the new American economy without recognizing the role of its two million creative workers.
- Two million Americans say their primary occupation is artists, representing 1.4 percent of the US labor force.
- Artists represent a larger group than the legal profession (lawyers, judges and paralegals), medical doctors (physicians, surgeons, and dentists), or agricultural workers (farmers, ranchers, foresters, and fishers).
- Artists earn approximately $70 billion in annual income
- Compared to other workers, American artists tend to be better educated and more entrepreneurial and are twice as likely to have earned a college degree.
- Artists and arts organizations play a major role in local economies.
- Communities have discovered that attracting creative workers and industries bolsters their economies.
- From global exports to local investments, the new American economy depends on imagination, innovation and creativity, and those are the skills that artists develop, nurture, and promote.
- Isn’t it time that the nation notices?
Penelope Moseley, Associate Director
Chestnut Creek School of the Arts
February 12, 2009
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