The arts play an incredibly large role in making Raleigh the best place to live, work and play in the country. From our world-class cultural centers such as the NC Museum of Art and CAM Raleigh, to groundbreaking music hubs such as the NC Symphony and Hopscotch Music Festival, to designer collectives such as Artspace and the Visual Art Exchange, Raleigh has everything a patron of culture could possibly want in a city.
There’s a big economic side to the importance of Raleigh’s arts and culture community. A recent study found that the arts represent a $143 million industry in Raleigh alone, which supports over 5,600 full-time equivalent jobs. The arts and culture industry also generates $14.1 million in local and state government revenue, helping Raleigh maintain its proud tradition of providing the best city services for the lowest costs out of any other city in the Triangle.
Beyond the objective dollars-and-cents benefits, however, the arts also provide incalculable advantages in quality of life and convincing businesses and families to move to Raleigh. The New York Times called the Triangle “North Carolina’s Axis of Cool” for a reason, and more and more people are finding that out first-hand and deciding to stay. Businesses want to be located in a place their employees love to live, and Raleigh has that in spades!
Nancy has always been a strong supporter of Raleigh’s arts and culture community, and is proud to have continued her support as mayor. In fact, Oak City 7 organizer Dave Rose specifically credited Mayor McFarlane with bringing outdoor live music to the downtown area. Recently, Nancy sat down with Drawbridge Media to discuss the arts’ importance to Raleigh for a video highlighting the Triangle’s cultural scene. The video won Best Film at RTP180’s Film in NC contest, and does a great job showcasing what the city has to offer from a cultural standpoint. Watch the video below to see why arts mean business in Raleigh!