Jul 3, 2013
Carole Hawkins
Reporter- Jacksonville Business Journal
It’s a signal to business travelers they’ve arrived in a city that has a progressive culture and lifestyle, says the Jacksonville Aviation Authority.
The JAA on Tuesday celebrated Arts & Media Day at Jacksonville International Airport to showcase its bring attention to its winning public art program.
The airport is home to several exhibits on rotation as well as permanent art installations like Hoy es Hoy, Sky Bridges, Silver Rain, Gotta Go, and The River. Its newest installation is Celestial Playground, a mural by New York Artist Amy Cheng that references the sky, the heavens and the cosmos.
JIA was recognized in recent years by the London Observer as one of the best airports in the world to be stranded due to its public arts program.
“If you’re a business traveler the first thing you are going to see is the airport and the last thing you are going to see is the airport. It really is a gateway to the community," said Michael Stewart, director of external affairs for JAA.
The nonprofit arts and culture industry generates $63.1 billion in spending by organizations nationally each year and $103.1 billion spending by their audiences, according to a report by Americans for the Arts, a national arts advocacy group.
Also, arts and culture tourists spend more and stay longer. Compared to other tourists, they:
• Spend $623 vs. $457 on average.
• Use a hotel, motel or bed-and-breakfast 62 percent vs. 55 percent of the time.
• Spend $1,000 or more 19 percent vs. 12 percent of the time
• Travel for 5.2 nights vs. 3.4 nights
Source: http://bit.ly/123Eg58
