STATE OF KENTUCKY LEXARTS REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Arts and Cultural Economy Audit and Strategic Plan
RESPONSES DUE NO LATER THAN 5pm EST, June 22, 2023
GENERAL PROJECT INFORMATION
The COVID-19 crisis has been the biggest shock to the U.S. economy since the Great Depression, and the creative economy – cultural tourism, music, visual arts, theater, dance – has been one of the most impacted sectors. An estimated 2.7 million jobs were lost, accounting for a reduction in more than $150 billion in sales, according to Brookings. This estimated loss accounts for over one-third of all arts and culture jobs and an estimated $74 billion in average monthly earnings for creative occupations nationwide. This has impacted all communities across Kentucky, including Lexington. According to ArtsFund, this is an estimated loss of between 30- 85% of total earned income for the sector, making it one of the most impacted of all. However, the sector has also shown significant resilience, with events and festivals returning and certain sectors enjoying landmark growth in certain areas. And in order to capitalize on these opportunities and accelerate recovery, Lexington needs to have the most robust strategy, data and evidence base to understand the make-up of its creative economy, its strengths and weaknesses and how best to support it moving forward. With the support of the City of Lexington through a direct allocation of $300,000, LexArts is planning just that and seeking a consultant, or team of consultants to deliver a comprehensive, cost-effective Creative Economy Audit and Strategic Plan.
The objectives of this work are to:
• Deliver a robust asset and infrastructure map of all arts and culture assets in Lexington and a clear framework outlining how they benefit travel and tourism.
• Equipped LexArts and all its stakeholders with comprehensive and globally relevant data and evidence to understand the city’s creative economy, including at least visual arts, music, dance, theater and performing arts across the for-profit and nonprofit sectors.
• Deliver a 3- to 5-year strategic plan for LexArts, inclusive of the sectors outlined in this RFP.
• Propose a set of implementable, global-leading policies to attract, retain and support talent, with a focus on women, minority owned and very small businesses, as well as wider workforce development.
• Fostering extensive community engagement to hear from a wide variety of stakeholders working in, related to, and affected by Lexington’s cultural and creative economy will be essential for delivering on these objectives.
3.1 Scope of Work
1. Manage and coordinate an extensive community survey(s) for the city targeting artists, creatives, businesses and the wider public to help determine:
a. Overall public opinion toward and perception of the arts and culture ecosystem.
b. Makeup of the arts and cultural ecosystem – including visual arts, dance, music, theater & other arts.
c. Economic impact of the creative economy, including its relation to tourism facilitated by
d. Challenges and opportunities moving forward, as well as assessing the wider sector’s susceptibility to external threats.
e. Impact of COVID-19 on incomes, recovery and resilience.
2. Conduct focus group roundtables and 1-to-1 interviews, plus a minimum. Focus groups must be inclusive of for-profit and nonprofit arts organizations, individual artists and other stakeholders
3. Deliver a comprehensive asset map of Lexington’s arts and culture economy – including providing an online, publicly available interactive map. Deliver recommendations for how this data can be maintained or updated by LexArts past the life cycle of this contract.
4. Assess the city and county’s arts and culture regulations and policies. Analysis should include at least policies specifically related to arts and culture, but also related economic development, workforce and labor, tourism, social services and education policy.
5. Deliver a detailed economic impact assessment for Lexington, including both for-profit and nonprofit arts and culture assets.
a. This must comprise direct, indirect, and induced impact, including understanding the total economic impact of COVID-19 and identifying any wage gaps between genders, disadvantaged communities and minority groups.
6. Deliver a robust strategy and action plan to grow and support Lexington’s arts, culture and cultural tourism economy, complete with:
a. A comprehensive assessment of all regulations related to culture presented in an appendix / guide with key actions to take forward.
b. Extensive stakeholder engagement, including survey, roundtable, and interview findings.
c. A comprehensive economic impact assessment and industry profile that details the economic significance of the creative economy.
d. A cultural inventory and music ecosystem map.
