CITIES BENEFIT FROM USING
THE ARTS AS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOL
Photographer Will Kerner, an associate artist who exhibits at McGuffey, but does not have studio space there, agrees that the arts are key to making downtown Charlottesville a viable district where land values have appreciated.
Kerner has been instrumental in starting several stalwart live performance and other artistic nonprofits in the center of Charlottesville.
"When we started 20 years ago, downtown was a quiet place after dark. Very few businesses were open past 5 (p.m.)and maybe only three or four restaurants were open," he recalled.
"Along with a downtown pedestrian mall, the arts have made this a hub of activity for the community. Now there are 15 or more restaurants open after dark downtown.
And several developers have converted old buildings into loft living spaces and others have built new buildings for very upscale downtown living."
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