Editorial - Hire Me!

“Hire Me”

“Unemployment rates for artists have risen more rapidly than for U.S. workers as a whole.”

This according to new research by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA website). Among the findings:

“The unemployment rate for artists climbed 2.4 percentage points between the fourth quarters of 2007 and 2008, compared to a one-point increase for professional workers as a whole, and a 1.9 point increase for the overall workforce.”

“The contraction of the arts workforce has implications for the overall economy. A May 2008 NEA study revealed there are two million full-time artists representing 1.4 percent of the U.S. labor force, only slightly smaller than the number of active-duty and reserve personnel in the military (2.2 million)."

"More recently, a National Governors Association report recognized that the arts directly benefit states and communities through job creation, tax revenues, attracting investments, invigorating local economies, and enhancing quality of life. There are 100,000 nonprofit arts organizations that support 5.7 million jobs and return nearly $30 billion in government revenue every year, according to a study by Americans for the Arts.”

Please support the Arts where and when you can… buy artwork, visit museums, go to the theatre, attend concerts, films and lectures, take art classes, donate your time and talents to non-profits. There are many delightful ways you can make a difference.

Gail Sauter – Journal: A Painter On Painting