“The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.” - Pablo Picasso

Art, as illustrated by Picasso’s quote, possesses the unique ability to cleanse our souls of everyday monotony. Given the transformative capabilities of art, we wondered how the arts could help revitalize a city, and, perhaps, revive an entire region. Can the same then be true for the “souls” of our cities, or even the collective soul of a region?

The Visual Arts, Craft, and Design (VACD) sector, encompassing a wide spectrum of creative endeavors, has an impact on all of us in often surprising ways. When we speak generally of the “visual arts,” names like Rembrandt, Cassatt, Warhol, and Bearden may come to mind; however, the Cleveland VACD sector, including all of Cuyahoga County for the purposes of this study, reaches well beyond conventional definitions of art to encompass a variety of consumer products such as jewelry, furniture, and even homes.