Lehigh Valley Arts Advocate – August 2016‏

MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: What I Did This Summer

This summer I have been out front in the Lehigh Valley more than usual, surveying audiences at various arts events. The study, Arts & Economic Prosperity V, is part of a national study to determine the economic impact of the nonprofit arts industry. Sounds dry, doesn’t it? Actually, it’s been fun to mingle with arts patrons and bump into old friends at the theatre or a concert. It is too early to tell, but attendance at these events seems very strong. The data collection continues through 2016, and the results of the analysis will be released in Spring 2017 at a public forum, Whose Business is the Arts? For the past twenty years, the Lehigh Valley region has enjoyed double-digit increases that are far above the national average. The previous study in 2012 determined that arts and culture was a $208 million industry. It will be fascinating to see what the numbers tell us this time. Maybe I am turning into a data-geek! Randall Forte, Executive Director SAVE THE DATE! Arts Count 2016 Arts Count celebrates the essential public and private partnerships that fuel the arts, engages business and foundation leaders as well as elected officials to be advocates for arts and culture, and acknowledges the year’s grant recipients. Free to members of the Arts Council and grant recipients, the Lehigh Valley Arts Council event honors the Project Stream and Program Stream recipients awarded state arts grants through the Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts. SAVE THE DATE! ARTS COUNT 2016 October 19, 2016 Smooth On 5600 Lower Macungie Road Macungie, PA 18062 UPCOMING PERFORMANCES PENNSYLVANIA SINFONIA ORCHESTRA presents: Valley Vivaldi August 21, 2016 at 7:30pm Wesley Church, Bethlehem Trio Solisti September 16, 2016 at 7:30pm Foy Hall, Bethlehem PURCHASE TICKETS AT OUR BOX OFFICE TODAY! Lehigh Valley Arts Council 840 Hamilton Street, Suite 201 ◊ Allentown, PA 18101 610.437.5915 ◊ info@LVArtsCouncil.org www.LVArtsCouncil.org ◊ LVArtsBoxOffice.org