>> WELCOME TO NEW HAMPSHIRE'S BUSINESS, I AM FRED KOCHER.
WHAT'S HAPPENED TO THE CREATIVE ACADEMY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE IN THE
LAST YEAR?
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIVE THEATER, MUSEUMS, ART GALLERIES,
MUSIC, AND WHAT IS THE COMEBACK GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN 2021?
WELL, HERE IS WHAT THE NEW HAMPSHIRE ARTS AND CULTURE
SECTOR LOOKED LIKE IN THE YEARS LEADING UP TO 2020.
THE NEW HAMPSHIRE ARTS AND CULTURE SECTOR REPRESENTS 3.4%
OF NEW HAMPSHIRE'S GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT IN 2015 AND
THAT WAS GROWING UNTIL 2020.
THEN THE PANDEMIC HIT AND ARTS WERE HIT LIKE MANY OTHER
BUSINESSES IN THE STATE.
THERE'S A QUOTE FROM THE CHAIR OF NEW HAMPSHIRE BUSINESS FOR
THE ARTS, THE PRESIDENT OF ALSO THE NORTHEAST DELTA DENTAL, A
BUSINESS LEADER IN THE STATE.
AND THE ARTS HAVE BEEN HIT BY ALL ACCOUNTS SUFFERING THE
CONSEQUENCES FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.
IT'S CRITICAL THAT INVEST IN ARTS AND CULTURE INCLUDING
ENTREPRENEURS.
MY GUEST IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW HAMPSHIRE
BUSINESS OF THE ARTS, KRISTIN, WELCOME, GLAD TO HAVE YOU.
>> I'M GLAD TO BE HERE, FRED.
YOU TAKE STOCK OF THE ARTS AND GROUPS ON A REGULAR BASIS TO
DETERMINE THEIR SENEEDS AND WHAT HAPPENED AFTER 2020 AND THE
DAMAGE DONE BY THIS PANDEMIC?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, THE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT THAT
EVERYONE'S FACED OVER THE LAST YEAR WITH SHUTDOWNS, FURLOUGHS
AND EMPLOYEES BEING LAID OFF HAS TAKEN A TREMENDOUS TOLL AND THIS
YEAR, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WITH THE VACCINE COMING ON
STRONG NOW, IT LOOKS LIKE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO BEGIN TO RETURN
TO SOME SENSE OF NORMALCY, ALTHOUGH THE FINANCIAL IMPACT ON
ALL OF THE ARTS INDUSTRY HAS BEEN DEVASTATING TO MANY.
>> I ASSUME YOUR BUSINESS MEMBERS ARE READY TO STEP UP AND
HELP?
>> WELCOME, YES.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN SOME GREAT SUPPORT FROM THE
GOVERNMENT HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND IN PARTICULAR,
GOVERNOR SUNUNU'S TASK FORCE THAT CREATED THE NONPROFIT
EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND, THAT PROVIDED A GOOD DEAL OF RELIEF
TO ARTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS, BUT YOU'RE
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
WE NEED THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO COME IN AND HELP FILL THAT
REMAINING GAP.
>> I HAVE A LIST OF SOME OF YOUR MEMBERS HERE, AND THEY'RE
SIGNIFICANT.
BUSINESS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION, THE CATHOLIC MET CAL CENTER,
PARTLET HITCHCOCK.
MANCHESTER BOSTON REGIONAL AIRPORT AND SO FORTH.
I THINK YOU HAVE 68 MEMBERS ALL TOLD.
THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD LIST.
WHAT ABOUT YOUR VISION OF THE VISION OF THE ARTS IN 2021?
WHAT'S IT GOING TO LOOK LIKE COMING BACK?
>> WELL, I THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE, YOU KNOW,
CONTINUED INNOVATION.
ONE OF THE SILVER LININGS, I GUESS, IF WE CAN TRY AND FIND
ONE, IS THAT YOU KNOW, THE ARTS FOLKS ARE HUGELY CREATIVE.
WE'VE SEEN THEM PIVOT IN WAYS THAT THEY HAVEN'T HAD TO DO
BEFORE.
THEY'VE EMBRACED TECHNOLOGY, LIVE STREAMING PERFORMANCES AND
THEY'VE DONE A LOT OF COLLABORATING, SO YOU'VE SEEN,
YOU KNOW, ORGANIZATIONS LIKE NEW HAMPSHIRE DANCE COLLABORATIVE
RUN BY JOHN BRODSKY BRING LIVE DANCE PERFORMANCE TO CANTERBURY
SHAKER VILLAGE FOR DISTANCED PERFORMANCE FOR PEOPLE TO ENJOY
AMANDA WHITWORTH'S CELLIST, THE NEW HAMPSHIRE ARTIST LAUREATE.
SO LOOKING AT MORE OF THAT IN THE FUTURE, AT LEAST IN THE
IMMEDIATE FUTURE I THINK IS WHAT WE'LL BE SEEING.
>> I'LL MAKE NOTE, PLACES LIKE THE BARN PLAY HOUSE IN NEW
LONDON DECIDED TO HAVE A FULL SEASON UNDER AN OPEN TENT AT
COLBY COLLEGE AND IN DOVER, VIRTUAL ARTS GALLERY, THEY WOULD
LIKE TO GET BACK TO ART WALKS.
THE ARTS HELP DEFINE NEW HAMPSHIRE, OF COURSE, AND CAN BE
A PART OF OUR LIVES AS WE GET BACK TO NORMAL, WHICH IS SO
IMPORTANT.