Arts
From Sustaining Jackson Hole Wiki
I. Overview of Arts in Teton County
For the purposes of this study, the Jackson Hole arts community encompasses the area’s visual, literary, performing, and musical arts.
Jackson Hole’s arts community is notable for a few reasons. First, the aesthetic beauty of the area provides an inspiring backdrop for artists of many mediums. Second, while the precise dollar volume of sales is hard to pin down, Jackson Hole is considered one of the top art markets in the nation. Third, as a popular vacation destination, Teton County is an appealing setting for visitors wanting to attend events such as the annual Writer’s Conference and the Digital Photography Summit. Finally, Teton County is the home of several renowned arts institutions, including the Grand Teton Music Festival and the National Museum of Wildlife Art.
For all these strengths, there are also a number of impediments to the growth of Jackson Hole’s arts community. Of particular concern is whether the high cost of living, especially of real estate, prevents artists from establishing themselves in Teton County, and whether such a small and isolated community can offer artists the resources they need to fully express their visions.
Despite these challenges, Jackson Hole’s arts community is both vibrant and multifaceted. The growth of existing arts organizations, the emergence of new groups such as the Jackson Hole Film Festival and the Jackson Hole Music Experience, and the recent opening of the first phase of the $30 million, 70,000 square foot Center for the Arts are all signs of the continued vitality of the arts in Jackson Hole.
Due to its composition during its first two years, the Sustaining Jackson Hole Arts Working Group has focused primarily on the non-profit arts community. Hopefully, in subsequent years, we will be able to draw more participants from the for-profit community, as this is a significant part of the arts in Jackson Hole.
One final note. As the 2005 Sustaining Jackson Hole Arts Working Group attempted to quantify the size of the arts community in Jackson, they identified a recurring problem: different organizations count things differently, a truism that applies to classes, students, performances, finances, and nearly every other metric. The consequence of this reality is that the data presented below are no more than best-guess estimates at “apples-to-apples” measurements. The group’s action project for 2005 is to develop uniform measuring standards for all important metrics.
II. Participants
• Mark Berry, Center for the Arts
• Francine Carraro, National Museum of Wildlife Art
• Tammy Christel, Planet Jackson Hole
• Kirsten Corbett, Teton County Library
• Alissa Davies, Dancer’s Workshop
• Chris Hansen, Center for the Arts
• Lisa Holmes, Grand Teton Music Festival
• Laura Johnson, JH Wildlife Film Festival
• Lorne Maltenfort, JH Film Festival
• Curtis Olson, Artist
• Lisa Samford, Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival
• Tim Sandlin, JH Writer’s Conference
• Tammie Van Holland, Off Square Theatre Company
• Elaine Walsh, Yellowstone National Art Trust
• Cathy Wikoff, Art Association
III. Arts Indicators
A. Arts Organizations
A1. Number of local galleries
Rationale: The number of local art galleries reflects both resident and visitor buyer demand of visual art in the area. These data also serve as an indicator of the economic impact the arts have on Teton County.
Number of art galleries in Teton County:
• Count in 2004 Jackson Hole Phone Directory, “Art Galleries, Dealers, & Consultants”: 26 (v. 33 in the 2004
edition of the same phone book)
• Count in September, 2005 of those registered with Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce: 27 (v. 23 in 2004)
• Count in September, 2005 of members of the Jackson Hole Gallery Association: 33 (v. 33 in May 2004)
Non-traditional gallery spaces:
• Pearl Street Bagels
• Snake River Brewery & Restaurant
• Betty Rock Cafe
Comment: These listings do not include the many stores that sell art, music, handicrafts, and the like as a complement or supplement to their primary products.
A2. Local venues for the performing arts
Rationale: The number of local venues featuring live music, theater, and other forms of performing arts is a measure of Teton County’s demand for this medium.
For profit:
• Bar-T-Five Wild West Show
• Bar J Chuckwagon
• Jackson Hole Playhouse
• Mangy Moose
• Snow King
Non-profit:
• Off Square Theatre Company
• Walk Festival Hall
Comment: This list of venues met the criterion of charging for performances by offering advanced ticket sales for events, and not simply charging a cover change at the door. A number of additional venues host music and performances, but do not sell tickets in advance for these shows.
A3. Number of local arts non-profit organizations
Rationale: Along with art galleries and performance venues, Jackson Hole’s arts non-profit organizations form the core of the local arts community, providing the primary vehicle for local efforts to increase awareness of the arts and foster artistic talent. The number of local non-profits with arts-centered missions is a reflection of the community’s demand and support for the arts. Because many of these organizations employ staff, the number of jobs in the arts community also serves as an economic indicator.
Non-profits with arts as part of their mission as listed with the Community Foundation in 2003 (total = 16):
• Art Association
• Center for the Arts
• Cultural Council of Jackson Hole
• Grand Teton Music Festival
• Jackson Hole Chorale
• Jackson Hole Community Band
• Jackson Hole Community Radio
• Jackson Hole Symphony Orchestra
• Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival
• National Museum of Wildlife Art
• pARTners
• Off Square Theatre Company
• Quilting in the Tetons
• Strings in School
• Teton Arts Council
• Teton Valley Museum Foundation
Additional organizations listed with the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole in 2005
(total = 4; all organizations listed in 2003 were also listed in 2005):
• Jackson Hole Film Festival
• Riot Act, Inc.
• Wyoming Highlanders
• Wild Vibe Arts Coop
B. Arts Educational Opportunities
B1. Art classes offered locally
Rationale: Classes are arguably the most direct means of fostering artistic talent. The number of classes offered by local arts organizations reflects the demand of both Teton County locals and visitors to expand their knowledge of various art forms. Having ample art educational opportunities is also a characteristic of an arts destination. Although some of the reported classes are free, a majority of the classes charge a fee and therefore represent an economic component of the arts as well.
B2. Students taking local art classes
Rationale: As important as the number of art classes offered is the number of students participating in these classes. These figures include both adults and children, and both local residents and visitors.
Comment: The 2004 Writers’ Conference number includes the 40 individuals annually who take part in the weekly writer’s group and 20 individuals participating in the annual library workshop, as well as actual Conference attendees. NMWA numbers include only adults. They also had 9,200 children as students in 2004.
C. Appreciation for the Arts
C1. Number of art events
Rationale: Besides offering attendees the singular experience only art can provide, art events serve to educate, attract people to the area, and stimulate the local economy through ticket and product sales. The number of art events held annually reflects the demand for such events among residents and visitors, and helps indicate Teton County’s standing as an arts destination. These events include everything from free fairs to museum visits to paid performances.
C2. Attendance at art events and venues
Rationale: Attendance at arts events indicates the community’s interest in having these opportunities available.
Comment: The Teton County Library chose to categorize their programs as art, rather than education. The library is currently the only venue which systematically tracks adult v. child attendees at their events. In 2004, the library had 10,096 kids and teens participate in their Youth and Young Adult Services programs, and an additional 3,421 adults in these same programs. Adult programming attracted 2,060 attendees.
The asterisk in 2001 for the Wildlife Film Festival is a result of the fact that their 2001 festival occurred shortly after the terrorist attacks of 9/11. The ensuing disruption to their event skewed their attendance numbers; 650 is a best-guess estimate.
C3. Number of individuals donating to arts organizations
Rationale: The financial health of local non-profit arts organizations is dependent upon funding received through charitable donations. The number of local and out-of-town donors to the arts reflects the scope of appreciation for the arts community in Teton County.
C4.Financial donations to arts organizations
Rationale: The number of dollars donated annually to arts organizations,, both from local and out-of-town supporters, reflects the depth of appreciation for the arts in Teton County.
C5. Mean annual contribution to arts organizations
Rationale: While all non-profit arts organizations rely on charitable donations to meet their budget goals, there can be marked differences between each organization’s financial needs and donor profiles.
C6. Number of individuals volunteering time to arts organizations
Rationale: By offering their time and energy, volunteers make significant donations to the arts, even if they never contribute any funds. Tracking organizational volunteers in the arts is a way of measuring the appreciation of the arts in the community.
C7. Earned v. contributed income for non-profit arts organizations
Rationale: As a rule of thumb, local arts organizations’ income can be divided into two categories: earned and contributed. Grants are counted as contributions, as are county funds and donations, both in-kind and cash. Earned income is revenue from ticket sales or tuition.
IV. Arts Indicators Wish List
• Size of Teton County’s overall arts economy
• Comparative data for Jackson in relation to other communities such as
Santa Fe and Scottsdale
• Demographics of donors to the arts
• Hours of student involvement in the arts
• Number of artists in Teton County
• Number of people employed to support the function and sale of art in Jackson (including galleries)
• The extent of the local music scene, including numbers of musicians, genres, performances, venues
• Number of gallery openings and shows annually
• Number and depth of articles written about the arts in Jackson Hole from outside perspectives
• Number of collaborative projects within the arts community
V. Statement of Ideal
Jackson Hole will be:
• a widely -recognized, year-round center for the presentation, creation, teaching,
learning, and appreciation of the performing, visual, and literary arts;
• a community where those who make their living from the arts are able to live
and work; and
• a collaborative arts community that offers access without barriers
Comment: This statement reflects the Arts group’s feeling that Jackson Hole has the potential to be an internationally-recognized center of the arts.
The specific terms used in the Arts group’s Ideal Statement are defined as follows:
a widely-recognized, year-round center for the presentation, creation, teaching, learning, and appreciation of the performing, visual, and literary arts;
• “Widely-recognized” means that the community in general, and each arts organization in particular, receives
frequent mention in the most important journals in their respective fields, and awards attesting to their accomplishments. • “Year-round” means that significant numbers of arts activities are occurring every month. • “Appreciation” refers to attendance at performances and support of arts-related businesses.
a community where those who make their living from the arts are able to live and work; and
• “...those who make their living...” includes not just artists, but also arts-related business owners and
employees, and the employees of the different organizations presenting and supporting the arts.
a collaborative arts community that offers access without barriers
• “A collaborative arts community” means one in which different organizations contribute time, money, or other
resources to produce a program or event. The Center for the Arts is the prime example of collaboration in the arts.
• “Access without barriers” implies not only access without regard to economics, class, age, etc. for participants,
but access and resources for artists as well. Specifically, if someone wants participate in an event or class and cannot (due to space
limitations, economic ability, etc.), or wants to make a living from art in Jackson and cannot, a barrier exists, suggesting a need or issue that needs to be addressed.
The 2004 Working Group’s Statement of Ideal included the point that Jackson would be a location with the resources needed for artists to fully express their skills, meaning that such resources exist, and are of sufficient quality to allow full expression. It also meant the existence of the human resources (teachers, patrons, supportive environment) necessary for full expression. The 2005 group felt that the statement's second point covers this, and what was missing from the statement were the concepts of access and collaboration.
Ideal Indicators/Additional Steps Needed:
To gauge progress toward Ideal, Jackson Hole’s Arts community in general, and each individual organization in particular, needs to accurately measure the following items related to the components of Arts Working Group’s Statement of Ideal:
• ...a widely-recognized, year-round center for the presentation, creation, teaching, learning, and appreciation
of the performing, visual, and literary arts;
Measurements are needed of:
• The number of times arts-related activities in Jackson Hole are mentioned in important journals in
relevant fields (also, these journals must be identified);
• The number of awards or other honors local artists and arts organizations receive;
• The different venues for presenting, creating, teaching, learning, and appreciation of different
art forms;
• The number of people involved in these activities; and
• When these activities occur.
• ...a community where those who make their living from the arts are able to live and work;
Measurements are needed of: • What resources – ranging from income to housing to sense of community – are needed for both local
artists and others associated with the arts to want to live in Jackson Hole, and do so successfully;
• Whether such resources exist in sufficient quantity and quality to allow these individuals to make
Jackson Hole their home.
• ...a collaborative arts community that offers access without barriers.
Measurements are needed of:
• Collaborative efforts, and time, money, and resources invested into them
• Instances during which individuals were turned away from a particular event, class, or other offering
due to a particular limitation, such as space or money.
VI. Action Component
One of the observations that repeatedly surfaced in the 2005 Arts Working Group was how differently Jackson Hole's arts organizations measured the same general items (e.g. events, classes, attendance, etc.). For example, one organization may consider a festival to be one event, while another may count each of the festival’s many classes, talks, and presentations as separate events. Until such differences can be resolved, there can be no clear picture of the overall presence of the arts community in Jackson Hole.
The Sustaining Jackson Hole Arts Working Group’s project for 2005 will be to determine consistent ways of measuring revenue, participation, and programs. Such a tool will have many benefits, including benchmarking (both internally and between groups), and allowing the entire arts community to report accurately and consistently about how the arts affects the lives of Jackson Hole’s residents and visitors.
