An in-house study done by The Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, titled “Vibrancy Index,” has documented the dramatic increase in activity in Winston-Salem’s downtown and the broader community. The Index was created by Arts Council summer employees Catherine Jones, Sally Doss and Beatrice Moss over a five-year period.  They counted such things as restaurants, music venues, galleries, and arts, cultural and other entertainment events.

The study results were announced today at a press conference held at the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts in downtown Winston-Salem.

Milton Rhodes, President and CEO of the Arts Council, said, “We all have seen the evidence.  Sidewalks bustling with people at night.  A profusion of sidewalk cafes.  Arts and cultural activities almost every evening at our new arts center.  But no one had stopped to count.

“In 2006, we had 50 restaurants downtown,” said Rhodes. “In 2008 we had 61.  Today we have 81.  You see quickly that our Downtown is alive and growing. Four of our downtown restaurants and bars, as well as a chocolate shop, were featured in the November issue of Southern Living. Downtown is energetic and electric now.”

Rhodes said that five years ago Winston-Salem was a quiet place. “A lot of us were not content with that. We thought our city ought to be a destination for arts, culture, entertainment and dining.   In 2006, we had 670 events city wide.  So we set a goal of 1,000 events a year, and there were a lot of raised eyebrows. But by 2008, we had 845 total events and by 2010 we had 2519 – almost four times the number five years before. Talk about progress.  Talk about vibrancy,” Rhodes said.

In 2006, there were seven festivals in the city.  That number more than doubled to 19 by 2008 and in 2010 Winston-Salem hosted 22.

Rhodes said The Arts Council’s interest has been multi-faceted. “Those of us who were working on vibrancy five years ago were interested in quality of life, of course.  But the arts people were amazingly realistic.  We also looked at economic impact.  Jobs and tax revenue. And business executives, especially, were talking about transitioning to a creative economy and building a community that would attract and retain the kinds of creative minds that new economy required. We knew to accomplish that we had to create an environment where they could live, interact, exchange ideas and produce intellectual foment.

“We also wanted retirees to move to Winston-Salem because we know how much they bring to our community in terms of leadership in the nonprofit community and support for arts and cultural activities.  And they have disposable income. Many of the things young people deem important are also those that attract retirees, also,” he said.

Mayor Allen Joines said, “While I think we all knew that Downtown Winston-Salem and the Downtown particularly is a far cry from what is was five years ago, I don’t think we expected the numbers to be this dramatic. They are an insight into where we are as a community today. Downtown is now very much a place where people live as well as work, eat, and spend leisure hours. And that trend is going to continue because of the energy there.”

Joines quoted a Winston-Salem Journal editorial that noted the favorable attention Winston-Salem has received from rating groups. The Journal ran an editorial last week titled, “We’re near the top for good reason.” It started by saying, “There’s little doubt.  If you are in Winston-Salem, you are in the right place.”

“I certainly say ‘Amen’ to that,” Joines said   “And it doesn’t matter whether you are young or old. CNNMoney.com, as well as Where to Retire Magazine and TopRetirements.com all have recently pointed to Winston-Salem as one of the best places in America to retire.  That is exciting news for at least two reasons.  One, we welcome retirees because they make great citizens, but also because the things that make Winston-Salem a great place for them also makes Winston-Salem a great place for the young, creative minds we need to attract for the development of our knowledge based economy.

“They both want a reasonable cost of living.  Good restaurants.  A variety of arts and cultural offerings.  Housing that accommodates their life styles and is affordable. A safe environment where people can stroll and walk their dogs and ride their bikes.  They want to gather at sidewalk cafes and interact with neighbors and make new friends and exchange ideas in ways that encourages innovation.”

Joines quoted other favorable rankings for the city. “Bloomberg Business Week ranked us number 10 on the list of Most Fun and Affordable Cities in America.  And Livability.com ranked us second in the nation in Downtown Livability.  Who would have predicted this in 2006? Thank goodness we had leadership in the private and public sectors that did more than wring their hands.  We put together plans, and we pursued them.  We took some risks. And it worked.”

“The common complaint I heard five or six years ago was, ‘There is nothing to do in Winston-Salem.’” Rhodes said. “But today? Winston-Salem has a virtual smorgasbord of arts, culture, dining and entertainment.”

ABOUT THE ARTS COUNCIL

The Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County was established in 1949 and was the first locally established arts council in the United States. The Arts Council enriches the quality of life for people in Winston-Salem and neighboring communities by raising funds for the arts, advocating for the arts, sponsoring events in conjunction with other arts organizations, providing educational opportunities, strengthening cultural resources, developing social capital, and aiding economic development.