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There is economic, social value in Baltimore’s arts
What defines a flourishing community?
There are the obvious contributors: economic prosperity, educational opportunity and housing affordability. Just as important as these three factors, and often overlooked, is access to the arts. Not only do theater, music and visual arts programs balance and enhance curriculum, the arts provide a host of strong economic and social benefits.
According to Americans for the Arts’ most recent Arts & Economic Prosperity study, the nonprofit arts and culture sector generated more than $600 million in economic activity for Baltimore city in 2015. It also supported 15,052 jobs, generated $392.8 million in household income to local residents and delivered $54.5 million in local and state government revenue.
In addition to the economic benefits, the arts have a valuable role in encouraging social progress. Studies show that lower-income students engaged in arts education programs have better academic results, stronger college aspirations and higher levels of civic participation.
Impact of one program
One such program is the Baltimore School for the Arts’ To Work in Gaining Skills (TWIGS), a free after-school and Saturday arts program serving Baltimore-area children in grades 2 through 8.
TWIGS offers classes in dance, vocal and instrumental music, stage production and design, visual arts and visual storytelling. Each year, roughly 50% of the incoming first-year class at BSA is trained through the TWIGS program.
TWIGS was selected by Bank of America employees last year as one of 13 organizations worldwide to receive a $50,000 employee-nominated grant to support the program. Recently, I experienced the impact of this program on students’ lives during a performance of “The Nutcracker” for an audience full of other Baltimore elementary school students. Faces glowing, these students cheered and applauded after every single dance.
My friend, colleague and Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Senior Financial Advisor Li-Wen Kang nominated TWIGS to receive this financial support. Li-Wen was a BSA student himself, just one year ahead of Tupac Shakur and Jada Pinkett Smith.
Li-Wen came to America from Taiwan and lived with an American family in Mt. Vernon. His family remained in Taiwan. Knowing very little English at the time, he enrolled at the BSA.
Li-Wen told me he learned many lessons from his time there — the most important being perseverance. Li-Wen went on to graduate from Harvard University and pursue a career in business and remains an active member of the arts community today, currently chairing the board of trustees at BSA.
Extending the social and economic successes of the arts in Baltimore and programs such as TWIGS requires a concentrated effort of support from stakeholders across our region. Bank of America has made a commitment to supporting — and strengthening — our city’s vibrant arts culture. We invest in exhibits like Baltimore Museum of the Arts’ Generations: A History of Black Abstract Art, which highlights the impact of black artists on visual arts from the 1940s through today.
We support organizations like the BSA and South East Community Development Corporation, which revitalizes neighborhoods through education and community art projects that beautify our streets. We also have Bank of America’s Museums on Us program, which provides free admission to art establishments throughout the city, ensuring everyone has access to experience the arts.
By supporting arts programs financially and through coordinated volunteer efforts, companies are not only doing the right thing for their friends and neighbors; they are also laying the foundation for their own future success.
Only by creating and participating in strong public-private collaborations across our community can we ensure a sound future for our cultural institutions and a brighter tomorrow for our city and for us all.
Sabina Kelly is Greater Maryland Market president for Bank of America.
