The arts bring culture, money to San Jose

The city got $191 million in 2015, a survey says, vs. $122 million in 2010

San Jose’s arts scene isn’t just good for the soul, it’s good for the city’s coffers, too. At least that’s the thrust of a new survey by Americans for the Arts, which says nonprofit arts organizations and their audiences spent $191 million in 2015.

That includes about $73.5 million spent by the 70 arts organizations that responded to the Arts and Economic Prosperity survey that Americans for the Arts conducts every five years. The rest — about $117 million — is the estimated spending by audiences, which works out to about $34 per person, per event and includes items like transportation, souvenirs, meals and childcare.

Those dollars trickle into various pockets, from the performers and artists to the ushers and program printers and beyond. A seven-figure chunk makes its way to state and local government, too.

The real good news is that the total amount of spending in San Jose increased by nearly 50 percent from $122 million when the survey was last conducted in 2010. That sounds even better when you consider San Jose lost two big arts groups — San Jose Rep and Silicon Valley Ballet — in the interim. But drilling deeper into the study, you can see that San Jose’s spending is about on par with Santa Barbara County — and it’s dwarfed by San Francisco and San Diego. Optimistically, that means there’s plenty of room to grow and improve before the next study in five years.

Kerry Adams Hapner, San Jose’s director of cultural affairs, says the survey helps provide a solid reason for government, foundations and audiences to keep investing in the arts but that the true value is beyond dollar signs.

“The work that we’re doing is priceless,” she said to the group of arts leaders who attended a City Hall luncheon Monday where the results were released. “You really can’t put a price tag on the important, mission-driven work that our arts leaders are doing.”

FEELING GOOD ABOUT THE

BLUES >> It’s Blues Week in San Jose, leading up to the 36th annual Fountain Blues Festival at Plaza de Cesar Chavez on Saturday. The bluesy lineup is headlined by guitarist and Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame inductee Elvin Bishop, but there will be good music all day long from Bettye LaVette, Fillmore Slim, Aki Kumar and Maxx Cabello, Jr.

Tickets are available for $20 ($75 for VIP seats) at www.fountainblues.com.

Of course, if you can’t wait, you can also hear the blues at Poor House Bistro on Autumn Street on the evenings leading up to the festival, with Chef Ramon’s Blues Jam on Thursday night and Jerry Miller of Moby Grape fame and his band on Friday night. BURNING LOYALTY >> I was perusing the Best in Silicon Valley readers’ choices last weekend and was floored to see that Double D’s Sports Grille in Los Gatos and the venerable Dick’s Bakery in Willow Glen were the top picks in their respective categories. They’re so beloved — and deservedly so — that readers voted for them despite the fact that both establishments suffered devastating fires in early 2016 and have been in the process of rebuilding more than a year later. By that reckoning, I’d still vote for Century 21 as Best Movie Theater, even though it’s been shuttered since 2014.

Sal Pizarro Columnist