Florida applauds economic impact of Ringling International Arts Festival
Governor Charlie Crist today will attend the kickoff of the first biennial Ringling International Arts Festival, a performing and visual arts festival at the Ringling Museum of Art on the Florida State University cultural campus in Sarasota.
During the festival kickoff, Governor Crist is expected to highlight festival organizers for the event’s economic impact on local and state economies.
“The Sunshine State continues to benefit from the legacies of generous Floridians like John and Mable Ringling who opened the door for future generations to experience a wide variety of arts and culture,” said Governor Crist. “In addition to entertaining thousands of Floridians and visitors to our state, the Ringling International Arts Festival will benefit local and state economies, and further position Florida as a national marketplace for cultural tourism.”
Following the kickoff event, Governor Crist will attend the festival’s opening performance at the Mertz Theater, featuring the Florida State University Symphony and guest conductor Robert Spano and pianist Pedja Muzijevich. More than 16,000 visitors are expected to attend the Ringling International Arts Festival.
The festival, which runs from October 7-11, 2009, is expected to benefit Florida businesses by a preliminary estimate of nearly $654,000. In addition, the festival is projected to generate $68,000 in local government revenue and $76,000 in state revenue. Total expenditures, including hotels, restaurants and other festival-related business, is anticipated to be $1.8 million.
This evening, Governor Crist is expected to applaud the economic benefit the Ringling International Arts Festival will have on small businesses in the Sarasota area. Last week, Governor Crist announced the observance of October 2009 as Florida Small Business Month. Throughout the month, Governor Crist will highlight the impact Florida’s more than 1.9 million small businesses have on the economy and examine opportunities to help small businesses grow.
The Ringling International Arts Festival features artists from Australia, Canada, England, France, Israel, Scotland, Spain, and the United States. In addition to core programming which includes music, theater, dance and visual art, outdoor performances and events, as well as lectures, workshops, and artist discussions will also be held. Artistic direction for the festival is provided by the Baryshnikov Arts Center while event management is provided by the Ringling Museum of Art. For more information on the Ringling International Arts Festival, go to www.ringlingartsfestival.org.
Topics: cultural tourism, economic development, economic growth, Economy, Florida, Governance, local economies, Ringling International Arts Festival, Sarasota, state economies, U.S., United States, visual arts
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