This commentary is by Karen Mittelman, executive director of the Vermont Arts Council. The CreateVT plan was developed by the Vermont Creative Network and may be viewed here.
As Vermont recovers from the impact of the past year, a vibrant creative sector will be critical to our state’s future. A growing body of research nationwide demonstrates the power of the creative economy as a catalyst for growth and change, particularly in rural places.
In designating 2021 the International Year of the Creative Economy for Sustainable Development, the United Nations affirmed the value of the creative sector for fostering innovation, providing jobs, decreasing poverty, promoting racial and gender equity, and improving health and well-being.
Studies of communities in crisis also tell us that the arts, culture, and creativity are wellsprings of inspiration and hope in times of recovery, fostering healthy and resilient communities.
Creative enterprises across our state — art galleries, theaters, museums, design firms, film studios, artisan cheese shops, and more — provide more than 41,000 jobs (9.3% of all employment). In 2015, the arts and culture segment alone contributed $960 million to the Vermont economy, or 3.2% of Vermont’s total GDP.
Beyond those dollars, creativity is embedded in Vermont’s character, from the innovation of technology start-ups to the resurgence of local food systems and farmers’ markets and the ingenuity of dancers and musicians finding ways to perform during a pandemic. Vermont’s creative spirit is the heartbeat of so many of our downtowns and villages, where historic theaters, bustling arts centers, libraries and makerspaces anchor community life.
What would it look like to place art, creativity, and innovation at the center of Vermont’s path forward?
The CreateVT Action Plan, launched on May 3, provides a road map for critical investment in Vermont artists, creative entrepreneurs, and businesses. Developed by the Vermont Creative Network over three years with broad community input, the plan envisions a future Vermont that thrives through creative expression, inclusivity and innovation.
Realizing this vision requires a bold commitment of public and private resources, and state and local policies that support and strengthen creative enterprises and events. These might include financial skills training for creative businesses; enhanced tax credits for downtown arts and culture centers to rebuild our aging cultural infrastructure; and increased investment in direct grants for individual artists, public art, and cultural events and performances.
In addition to training and support, individual artists need accessible, affordable studio space and performance venues in order to thrive. Across the creative sector, as in so many others, expansion of broadband access is an urgent priority. And strengthening digital programming skills and marketing expertise is critical for the post-pandemic survival of Vermont’s creative businesses and cultural organizations, as they stretch to connect with markets and audiences beyond our state borders.
The CreateVT plan recognizes that our educational system must build and nurture creative skills essential to the future. Creative learning environments can improve academic progress across the curriculum, increase student motivation and focus, support social and emotional development, and develop the capacity for innovation. Expanding the creative curriculum and providing a pipeline from schools to creative industries and careers are critical to inspire the next generation of Vermont entrepreneurs and creative workers.
Our plan advocates promoting Vermont as a hub for creative talent, both across our region and nationally. With a robust marketing campaign, mentorship opportunities and other support systems for emerging artists and creatives, Vermont’s reputation for innovation can attract financial investment and draw younger people. A majority of millennials and Gen-Xers say they look for a thriving arts and culture scene when relocating for a job.
Any vision for Vermont’s future must acknowledge that financial and cultural resources have not been allocated equitably in the past. The CreateVT plan commits to a creative sector that is diverse and accessible, and that reflects the creative expression of people of all races, genders, sexualities, religions, backgrounds, ages and abilities.
At the heart of the CreateVT Plan is a recognition that creativity and innovation are part of Vermont’s essential infrastructure. Much like our roads, bridges and broadband, Vermont’s rich creative talents and enterprises are vital resources for our communities. This is the moment to draw on those resources, inviting creative thinkers into our economic development and town planning process, and investing in downtowns that are revitalized through the arts.
Vermont’s creative moment is now. Now more than ever, we need the inspiration and imagination of the arts and creativity to create a path forward. When we support and empower artists and creatives, they will help us all to envision and secure an equitable When we support and empower artists and creatives, they will help us all to envision and secure an equitable and prosperous future for Vermont.
