The arts are an essential element of a healthy community. The arts contribute to the overall quality of life, and they bring people of all ages and cultural backgrounds together and engage them. Cities centered around culture and art provide an exceptional quality life for residents and visitors. Everyone benefits when the community is engaged, collaborative, and supportive.
Our BuzzFest light art installations during 2020 shone a spotlight on how the arts are essential to our lives, to our communities, to our economies, and to our future, particularly during many months of “lockdown” due to COVID-19. BuzzFest 2020 provided a beautiful outdoor, fresh air modern art experience where people of all ages could go safely an enjoy unique artistic experiences for the first time in months. The City of Bee Cave’s windows and spaces were also transformed into innovative art galleries. This event was an invitation to take a creative journey through Bee Cave, and to bring much needed joy and light to residents and visitors.
Texas Cultural Trust and Texas Commission for the Arts recently released the “State of the Arts Report.” Research revealed the arts and culture industry has grown more than 30% over the past decade, “generating $6.1 billion for the Texas economy, totaling nearly $380 million in state sales tax revenue, and $50.1 billion in gross domestic product in 2019.” The report notes:
“Texas tourism spending surpassed $83 billion. Not only do art and culture tourists stay longer and spend more, nearly one in four visitors participate in cultural tourism when traveling in Texas. High school students who complete more arts courses are twice as likely to graduate, 22% more likely to attend college, and have up to 15% higher pass rates on standardized tests than students with fewer arts courses.”
– State of the Arts Report | March 24, 2021
Bee Cave Arts Foundation 