Giving Compass' Take:

• Nevada Business Magazine reports on the state's newly revived arts scene, which directly ties to the local economy and the education system.

• A big boost is that Nevada goes above and beyond the funding coming in from the National Endowment of the Arts, helping community programs get the resources they need to thrive. What can other states learn from this support?

• Here's how we can promote youth involvement in the arts through Corporate Social Responsibility.

Twenty years ago, Nevada’s arts and culture sector was not a huge economic driver. Organizations were forming. Audiences were being sought.

“There’s a group of us in this community, and in Reno, too, who all started out on the ground level, and there’s been this evolution of arts and culture [in the state],” explained Jeri Crawford, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Philharmonic. “When this orchestra started 20 years ago, people said it was a huge risk supporting the cause, success was thought to be that questionable. But there’s a group of people who are still supporting the arts and the orchestra continues with support and audiences have proven the naysayers wrong. Today, credit goes to those who, throughout 20 years, have guided the orchestra and played for and financially supported and invested time, resources and energy into it.”

The change is less a shift in Nevada’s arts and culture economic sector than a shift in the understanding and perception of the arts.

“Particularly in the schools, [the arts are] a critical component of the twenty-first century educational system,” said Tony Manfredi, executive director, Nevada Arts Council (NAC) “The state recently adopted more fine arts standards for schools, which is great, because for a while there weren’t any.”

“Children who receive arts education or are exposed to the arts perform better in school, they’re disciplined, critical thinkers, learn creativity, tolerance, respect and acceptance of others. The arts are necessary,” said Beth Barbre, executive director and CEO of the Nevada Ballet Theatre.

In addition to education, the arts are influencing economic development, tourism and public policy.

Read the full article about the business of art in Nevada by Jennifer Rachel Baumer at Nevada Business Magazine.