2-22-18 Visual, literary and performing arts are good for business

In the weekly “Business Spotlight” that I do for Whidbey Local (www.whidbeylocal.com) , I often include articles about galleries, shows and musical performances.  At first glance, it might seem that these stories don’t relate to business (although there are many businesses based upon the arts).

But, the arts provide a major draw for tourists and locals, and in many communities are a significant, and sometimes a major, draw for the other businesses in the community.

We just returned from a vacation in Sayulita Mexico, an authentic Mexican town of about 5,000 people.  The town has lots of tourists from the States, Canada, Mexico, and many other places.  And, along with many interesting retail stories, there are many art galleries.  Restaurants often have musicians performing. What is obvious there, and should be obvious here on Whidbey, is that the arts play a major role in generating revenue for the local businesses.

A person might have a special interest in certain kinds of art galleries, but they are also likely to impulse buy items from other stores, and, of course, beverages and food from the local businesses that provide them.

Here on Whidbey, many also come to attend concerts, theater productions and visit art galleries, adding to the revenues of the local businesses.