MAMAView Economics of Entertainment
By Middagh Goodwin
Modesto’s population is approximately 204,933 people. It is the 18th largest city in California. What does that ultimately mean? There are a lot of people living in and around Modesto.
Statistics show that about 40% of what is spent locally is reinvested in the community. Remember that statistic.
How can we fund and grow our local entertainment economy? Do you think that it is not a business? Art cost money to create and should be funded. I am not suggesting we should add a tax to pay for art (not that City, State and Federal funds should not be more easily accessible for the arts!), but what I am suggesting is we all just spend a fraction of our own money on those things that bring joy and happiness into our lives. Music, Art, Poetry, etc. $5 a month, just the price of a cup of coffee at one of those corporate cafes is all I am talking about. That minute amount adds up in a very large way.
Everyone likes music and art; we all have different tastes and opinions on what it is but we all like it and some love it. But not everyone that lives in Modesto is in a position to spend $60 a year on the Arts. Let us remove the very young and old and the unemployed that is somewhere around 40% of Modesto’s population. Let us for good measure and to make it easier round that number up to 50%.
50% is 102,466 people. That is still a large number of people! If each of us spends just an average of $5 a month on local artists, comedians, poets, musicians, that amount adds up to $512,382.50 a month. In a year’s time, that comes to $6,147,990.00. What a generous amount of money to give to the arts! Wait, while you are supporting by going to see them perform live, buying merchandise, you are getting entertained. Value for your expenditure.
Remember I told you to not forget about that statistic of 40%? Those local artists you are supporting spend a significant amount of that back locally in your shops and restaurants. That is an extra $2,459,196.00 going back into the local economy.
CD’s, T-Shirts, Concert Tickets, Gift Certificates to places that host Live Music all make fantastic stocking stuffers. Pledge to go out and support your Arts Community not just now in the Holiday Season but all through the year.
