Downtown Arts Location Wants to Hear from You
Take part in the DIVA survey
COVID-19 has changed nearly everything in our lives, maybe forever. Even, as we go back to ‘normal’ in the coming year, we must ask ourselves what changes will last beyond the pandemic? We at DIVA have been pondering this question for months now while we have been closed to the community.
Like with Andy’s  recent exploration of Victorian-type font, we are exploring new things here at DIVA. When we launched DIVA, our mission was to provide a flexible open venue for the exhibition and performance of any art form and foster an inclusive collaborative environment for inspiration and creation. We wanted to remove the barriers to consuming and producing any art form, and we continue to strive to collaborate with our fellow arts organizations in making Richmond a regional arts destination.
What will it look like to create and share art in 2021 and beyond? We are on the journey to find out. First, we want to hear from our volunteers, donors, performance attendees, local community members, and the regions’ residents. To make hearing from you easy, we have created a quick survey.
Why it’s important to take the Community Arts SurveyÂ
We all want to improve our community for the better, and supporting the arts is one way to do this. Did you know that there is a connection between the arts and economic prosperity? It’s true, and it can be significant. The Arts and Economy 5 reported the nonprofit arts industry generated $166.3 billion of revenue in 2015. That’s nothing to sneeze at.
The arts aren’t only good for our local economy. The arts are actually good for you, too. There is overwhelming evidence that art is good for our mental health. Creating and consuming art just makes us feel better. It’s DIVA’s goal to give more people access to consuming and producing art. And even if the arts don’t float your boat, like, at all, it’s important to recognize how much it can mean to your neighbors and to local economic development. A strong arts community can help tip the scales in favor of businesses and industries relocating here. And that’s good for us all.
Ready to get started in the path to an even stronger, more vital arts community in Wayne County? We are asking all residents in Wayne County and surrounding counties to share with DIVA their experience with the arts in their community. Â
How will we use this information? Â
 The data from this survey will help inform DIVA about how we can best complement the area’s existing arts opportunities and help make Wayne County a regional arts destination. Aligning our programming with the community’s needs will encourage civic engagement, contribute to economic development, and increase social capital throughout the area.Â
Where can I take this survey? Â
It will take approximately 5 minutes to complete the DIVA Arts Community Survey, and you can get started by clicking here. The survey is open until May 28th.
About the Author:Â Amy & Andy DudasÂ
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