Art and cost
In recent years, a good deal of ink has been devoted to the idea that a vibrant arts scene makes a community a better place to live. Best-sellers such as Richard Florida’s “The Rise of the Creative Class” have argued that cities can thrive by attracting creative types. And Americans themselves, as repeated Gallup polls have found, say that the variety of social offerings — primarily arts and culture — is the most important factor in keeping them attached to the place they live. But as many artists and cultural groups know all too well, public money hasn’t always followed public sentiment. With that in mind, the Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations is launching a multiyear project to analyze links among funding, participation, and the vitality of the arts in six U.S. urban centers, starting with Detroit and the San Francisco Bay area. The hope, its leaders say, is to use...