Business, Corporate Support Help Keep Arts Groups Afloat

At a time when more communities are recognizing the importance of nurturing their relationships with local arts and cultural groups, there’s a question of how the economic downturn will impact the arts.

“No doubt Wall Street is going to hit Main Street,” said Paul Costello, director of the Vermont Council on Rural Development. Still, Costello and other proponents of the arts are optimistic. High gas prices, he said, could benefit the region’s downtown areas by prompting more people to take advantage of local arts and cultural opportunities.