What country, friends, is this?: The impact of art.

A weekly blog from APT's Managing Director, Carrie Van Hallgren, as she experiences her inaugural summer at APT.

Over the past several weeks, I've been along for a number of tours of the APT grounds, shops, and theaters including tours with Wisconsin elected officials Representative Todd Novak and Congressman Mark Pocan. When visitors take the turn onto Golf Course Road on a sunny spring morning, the peaceful grounds and the empty patron parking lot belie the bustling shops and offices just beyond the champion oak tree. It has been a delight to watch the faces of our guests as they walk into the Bravo Center (also known as APT headquarters) for the first time. And the question very quickly follows: "How many people work here?"

Just to give you an idea, the costume shop alone employs forty-four people.

Over 200 seasonal staff come to APT to work each season, along with 70+ independent contractors. They live here, some permanently, some for months, some for weeks. They live here, do grocery shopping here, fill up gas tanks, eat out, grab a coffee, meet neighbors, volunteer and generally enjoy the gorgeous River Valley area when they can. For a town the size of Spring Green, the arrival of the APT staff in late April is nothing if not obvious. When our audiences arrive, particularly on a sunny summer weekend, it may be impossible to find a hotel room or make a dinner reservation.

APT's economic and social impact on the River Valley area, and in Southwest Wisconsin, is considerable.
- 108,102 individuals attended plays at APT during the 2014 season.
- 13,611 tickets were sold to audience members from outside of Wisconsin in 2014.
- APT's education programming reaches 12,000 students from across the state.
- APT play goers annually spend over $6 million on food, lodging, and shopping in the greater Spring Green area.

Those of us who work in the arts and culture sector talk among ourselves about how we serve as economic drivers for our communities and regions. We need to continue communicating this message, with pride, to our fellow Wisconsinites and those who represent us on local, state and national levels. Wisconsin is indeed rich - home to natural beauty, respected corporations, fertile farmland, excellent colleges and universities, family attractions of all kinds and world class art. When we talk about why we love where we live, let's make sure we make art a part of the discussion.