
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 2, 1994                   TAG: 9402030023
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

AND JOBS, TOO

DEL. VICTOR Thomas, D-Roanoke, is among a few legislators trying to put state support of hundreds of art, history, science, and children's museums on a more rational basis. Let's hope they succeed.

The "system" by which lawmakers now must horse-trade and finagle to get a few state dollars to help sustain these nonprofit institutions is no system at all. It's an annual dice roll. The General Assembly should, as Thomas recommends, develop specific funding criteria to ensure the museums and arts programs more equitable and consistent treatment from year to year.

Thomas' cause may be helped along by Richmond state Sen. Benjamin Lambert's recent timely reminder.

Virginia's community-based museums, crafts centers, dance companies and orchestras are, in effect, small businesses, he notes. They provide jobs, and not only for artists. They also hire stage hands, security guards, catering people, seamstresses, parking-lot attendants, graphic designers, accountants, carpenters, electricians and printers. The Virginia Employment Commission estimates that more than 7,000 jobs in the state are related to nonprofit arts groups.

Yet, support for the arts is by no means best justified as a jobs program. These nonprofits contribute more significantly to economic development by adding to the education, culture and quality of life in hundreds of communities, large and small, rendering them more attractive to people and businesses.

And don't forget art for art's sake.

Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1994

by CNB