Great News For South Florida Arts-Related Businesses 2009/05/09

Great News For Business

Broward County's Creative Industries Continue to Increase Over Five-Year Span

900 New Arts-Related Businesses in Broward County in 2009

Recently, Americans for the Arts released the 2009 Creative Industries Report, which offers a research-based approach to understanding the scope and economic importance of the arts. Today, Broward County is home to 5,660 arts-related businesses-reflecting an increase of 900 small entrepreneurial businesses over 2008. In total, these businesses employ almost 21,000 people-creating an additional 400 jobs in the last year-as documented by Dun and Bradstreet, the most comprehensive and trusted source for business information in the U.S.

From these statistics, it is clear that the creative businesses are a growing segment of the local economy and support a global trend that will continue as the knowledge-based economy expands. "Over the last five years, we have been encouraged to see the number of new arts-related businesses growing, with a twenty-one percent increase this year, in the height of an economic downturn-it is a positive outlook for our changing economic base," said Mary A. Becht, Broward Cultural Division director.

The creative industries are comprised of businesses that create or distribute the arts, including: museums and collections; performing arts; visual arts/photography; film, radio and TV; design and publishing; arts schools and services. These arts-centric businesses play an important role in building and sustaining economic vibrancy: they employ people, spend money locally, generate government revenue and are a cornerstone of tourism.

Nationally, there are more than 600,000 businesses in the United States involved in the creation or distribution of the arts that employ more than 2.5 million people. Growth of the businesses that comprise the creative industries is greater than the increase among 14.3 million other businesses tracked by Dun and Bradstreet.

Broward Cultural Division enhances the cultural environment of Broward County through the development of the arts. More than 1.8 million residents, 10.1 million visitors, 10,000 artists, 5,660 arts-related businesses, including 550 not-for-profit cultural organizations and 31 municipalities are beneficiaries of the services, technical assistance and grant funds. As a cultural catalyst in the South Florida region, the Division is instrumental in the support of world-class arts and cultural facilities and quality events that enhance the South Florida Region. The Division also supports facilities such as a Cultural Information Center; ArtParks (cultural centers in parks) and artists' live/work lofts; coordinates arts education and marketing programs; offers micro-credit lending to artists; enhances urban design sites and county facilities through the Public Art and Design Program.

"A people's art is the genesis of their freedom."

Claudia Jones, Founder

London Carnival, 1959

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Currently spending his time between New York and Florida, Beau was born to a theatrical family in Brooklyn. He studied drama at the Lee Strasberg Theater Institute and at HB Studios. He studied theater singing with Julia Sperratore and Helen Gallagher. Beau later taught drama at the Lincoln Center Square for the Arts. It was at this time Beau began working with the Theater Development Fund and helped found New York's famed HALF PRICE TICKET BOOTH. Early in his career, Beau was screen tested and contracted for Warner Brothers. He co-hosted, an early cable variety series on Manhattan's Teleprompter channel. At this time he directed the Johnny Specca musical, SEX IS..? at the Lincoln Center Library Theater. Beau has performed Off-Broadway in FAT FELL DOWN, The Comic Strip Theater's LITTLE LULU AND THE INVISIBLE INK and WILL THE REAL ZOOPERMAN PLEASE STAND UP. Around the country he has delighted audiences with his performances in ANYTHING GOES, THE APPLE TREE, GUYS & DOLLS, and HELLZAPOPPIN! He sang for New York audiences at such cabarets as The Duplex and Upstairs at the Downstairs. He has had numerous television appearances but is most proud to have been a winning contestant on the game shows JACKPOT and THE $20,000 PYRAMID.

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