"WolfBrown found that Eugene had an abundance of art; however, the town needed more support from the business sector. The results showed that "we punched above our weight for a community our size," said Kelly Johnson, executive director of the nonprofit Arts & Business Alliance of Eugene, which the city created in 2008 to link the arts and business communities."
"The Alliance's website notes that by advocating for the arts, the Alliance aims "to influence policies, secure funding, and build partnerships that support the arts sector, benefiting everyone who lives, works, and creates in Eugene.""
"Becky Schwarzkopf, a real estate lawyer with Arnold Gallagher Attorneys at Law, is one of the board members. Comparing art and business, she dismisses two stereotypes about artists: They are flighty, or they aren't grounded enough to manage money. A nonprofit art organization has much in common with a business, she said."
In 2006, Eugene commissioned a study to validate its slogan as "The World's Greatest City for the Arts and Outdoors." WolfBrown's yearlong research involving interviews, focus groups, and surveys of 2,500 citizens confirmed Eugene punched above its weight artistically but needed stronger business sector support. This led to the 2008 creation of the Arts & Business Alliance of Eugene, a nonprofit partnership between the city, Chamber of Commerce, Lane Community College, University of Oregon, and tourism organizations. Executive director Kelly Johnson, hired in 2018, leads the Alliance's efforts to influence policies, secure funding, and build partnerships supporting the arts sector. Board members like real estate lawyer Becky Schwarzkopf work to dispel stereotypes about artists and highlight similarities between nonprofit arts organizations and businesses.
#arts-and-culture #business-partnerships #community-development #nonprofit-organizations #eugene-oregon
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