“It made me think as I saw other kids being pushed in wheelchairs by their parents, how awesome it is to be able to have something like that to take your mind off everything you are going through,”
“The arts and cultural industries provide jobs, attract investments, and stimulate local economies through tourism, consumer purchases, and tax revenue. Perhaps more significantly, they also prepare workers to participate in the contemporary workforce, create communities with high appeal to residents, businesses, and tourists, and contribute to the economic success of other sectors.”
“Shining a spotlight on art and cultural relationships and business provides a better understanding between people of diverse nations. The quest for better communications through the arts help define businesses. By associating with the arts, businesses have discovered that their brands are enhanced and increase their reach and in the end their profitability.”
“Arts and culture are a powerful force. Powerful enough to transform physical space, spur economic activity and tell a story about a place. They can change the reputation and the trajectory of a community.”
“Since health is a fundamental personal and social asset, it is essential that outreach and support programs devoted to healing, or the restoration and maintenance of good health, be more fully integrated into the fabric of the community.”
“The links between the economic health of a community and the quality of its social bonds are becoming increasingly clear. Robert Putnam and other sociologists have supplied convincing evidence that strong social connections are necessary ingredients of economic success.”
“Researchers conducted two experiments designed to measure the affect positive emotions, such as amusement, awe, compassion, contentment, joy, love, and pride, have on the cytokine Interleukin-6 (IL-6), a marker for inflammation.”
‘”That awe, wonder, and beauty promote healthier levels of cytokines suggests that the things we do to experience these emotions — a walk in nature, losing oneself in music, beholding art — has a direct influence upon health and life expectancy,” Dacher Keltner, co-author of the study and psychologist at the University of California-Berkeley, said in a press release.’
“We found that nature images are popular with the long-term care residents, but rather than the element of escape which was so important in hospital in-patients, the long-term care patients valued the element of social interaction and association.”
“Communities with visible, thoughtful public art thrive because people want to be there. Public art invigorates our sense of place and excites us about where we are. In turn, art bolsters civic fundamentals: pride, economic growth and population retention.”
-OKC artist Romy Owens makes case for further investments in public art.
“Research shows that volunteering will help you live longer, and that should be cause enough to make you happy. But there are other reasons as to why volunteering makes you happier… here are 3 leading theories as to why:”