Community News: Galax receives grant to create “Cultural Arts District”

News release
Published: May 21, 2008

Read the news release below

The City of Galax, Chestnut Creek School of the Arts, the Galax Downtown Association, Chapters Bookstore and the Arts Council of the Twin Counties have received a grant from Virginia Tourism Corporation’ Marketing Leverage program for $25,000 to create and continue a “Cultural Arts District” in downtown Galax for the purpose of economic development.  The vision is to develop, promote and sustain an environment for artists, visitors and residents to immerse themselves in creative opportunities that will enrich and inspire them—mind, body and soul—while bringing greater visibility to the region, our cultural heritage, other tourism destinations and our quality of life. 

Neither tourism nor the arts will be the cure-all for the economy in the Twin Counties.  However, based on Virginia Tourism Corporation’s research, tourism marketing will fill a huge gap.  More than $17.7 billion in visitor spending and $1.2 billion in state and local taxes for Virginia communities is generated through tourism - in addition to more than 208,000 jobs. 

“Come visit the Downtown Galax Cultural Arts District.  Move to the Head of the Creative Class!” is a branding phrase adopted by several entities interested in developing economic opportunities for area citizens.

“In addition, our goal is to expand our visitor base beyond those seeking our musical heritage.  It is our hope that we will attract individuals to visit our area for a variety of reasons including outdoor recreation and education, and once here, expose them to the captivating sounds of musical history,” says Chuck Riedhammer, Galax Tourism Director.

Creating economic development for the City of Galax and neighboring areas is the fundamental goal of this endeavor.  Due to the steady decline of furniture and textile industries, regional economic outlook has darkened.  Galax, alone, has lost 1175 jobs since January 2006. 

The area is in great need of financial expansion.  Through the effective marketing of Chestnut Creek School of the Arts, the downtown arts district and downtown events, receptive audiences, locally, regionally and even nationally can be reached to showcase our natural assets, encourage tourism and stimulate the economy. 

The partners intend to concentrate efforts on highlighting the area’s unique heritage, giving birth to a proliferation of genuine Appalachian artisans who practice the traditions that have been passed down through generations.  As our leading commodity, these artisans have honed their skills through a lifetime of experience and will share their abilities with others in demonstrations of cultural heritage at special events and festivals.

By promoting culturally enriching experiences at CCSA and enticing visitors to attend one of the exciting seasonal events, Galax will enjoy increased revenue from lodging and meal taxes, retail purchases, etc.  The surrounding counties will also benefit from the increased need for lodging and fuel, varied dining options and recreational activities.

All entities involved strongly desire to promote cultural experiences as a form of leisure travel and escape but also as a means of vocation, reaffirming Galax’s musical legacy.  The intention is to promote Galax through the distribution of maps, print, radio and television media, and comprehensive website development in order to increase visibility and establish the brand of “Galax” as a cultural art destination.  Promotion of downtown events and festivals will be a key component of this effort.  The grant will exponentially leverage the marketing budgets of all involved.

The Downtown Galax Cultural Arts District will target the densely populated localities and regions in North Carolina where advertising dollar will be more effective.  Research from the welcome center in Hillsville, Virginia reveals that approximately 30% of visitors to the area are from NC.  Additionally, website hit data indicates similar statistics with over 35% of inquiries coming from NC.  Research shows that the majority of travelers from NC are between the ages of 34 and 64, spend 2-3 days, and arrive by automobile.  They will spend an average of $200 per day while here.

“Our grant program is just another important example of the public-private partnership VTC enjoys with our tourism industry,” said Alisa Bailey, president and CEO of the Virginia Tourism Corporation.  “These grants provide matching funds that help communities increase the impact of tourism bringing more visitors and jobs for our citizens.”