Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | January 9, 2023 | Worcester Business Journal 7 Arts has an outsized impact on the economy F L AS H P O L L Central Massachusetts is awash in arts and cultural institutions, ranging from traditional establishments like Fitchburg Art Museum and Worcester Art Museum to those more geared to up-and-coming area artists like ArtsWorcester, Framingham Artists Guild Inc., Blackstone Valley Art Association, and ArtsSpace Maynard. At $960 million, the arts and culture industry makes a significant economic contribution to the Central Massachusetts economy, but it remains well under sectors like manufacturing ($6.5 billion), health care and education ($5.8 billion), and retail ($2.7 billion). Cultural institutions are often cited as playing an outsized role in creating economic momentum and a sense of place for a community. When polled online, nearly two-thirds of WBJ readers said the arts and culture sector has a larger impact on the economy than just its economic output. COMMENTS Yes. 63% Relative to its real economic output, does the arts & culture industry play a substantial role in driving economic growth in Central Massachusetts? "The economic benefits of the arts play out in non-attributable ways to these resources. They make communi- ties more attractive places to live and work and spur participation in other related activities." "The economic data may be more difficult to quantify, but the arts have the added benefit of greatly contributing to the quality of life." No. 37% pecially when the first edition came out. ere's been a hunger for a thick-paged, glossy art publication like other big art cities have," said Dillon. "Juniper Rag isn't exclusive to Worcester-area artists; they've featured artists from across the country, but Central Mass. is where the heart of the magazine is. Local artists, whether they've participated or not, are proud of that. " Dillon was selected by a jury to appear in the first issue of Juniper Rag, as well as the upcoming fourth issue, and participated in Juniper Rag's Origin show. Luis Fraire owns e White Room gallery and event space with his wife, Birgit Straehle. e couple ran the Sprinkler Factory art space before it closed in 2021. Fraire is impressed with the magazine's quality. "Beautiful layout, beautiful produc- tion values. It's a high-caliber work of graphic design. It's informative; it's diverse," said Fraire. May and iffault both have a back- ground in art and design. Beyond being fine artists, the two worked together for a company producing high-end event invitations. ey met there and then decided to go into business together. Juniper Rag creates opportunities for up-and-comers by connecting them with a larger audience, Boilard said. "If you want to be a full-time artist, you have to expand beyond your home- town," he said. Fraire curated the magazine's third issue, Shi. He was impressed at the magazine's reach when he saw that one of the artists who submitted for the issue was from Fraire's mother's home city of Monterrey, Mexico. "It is a little bit local, it's a little bit regional, a little bit national, and a little bit international," he said. "at's a good service for the local community … Exposure that goes in two different di- rections: the local being transmitted out, and the outside being transmitted in." An artist from San Diego, Julia C R Gray, drove across the country to partic- ipate in one of Juniper Rag's exhibitions, said May. e magazine has a democratizing effect, as it features both known and un- known artists as if they're on the same level, Boilard said. Straehle, from e White Room, sees value in artists at various stages in their career being presented in a high-quality paper magazine. "It gives them another platform, something that sticks more permanent- ly in people's heads than Facebook and Instagram," Straehle said. Creating arts business Juniper Rag charges a $35 submission fee to artists in its magazine and histori- cally has charged $50-$75 for entry into its in-person exhibitions. Commissions for sales at shows vary depending on the deal they can negotiate with venues. Dillon would like to see more out- reach to younger artists who may not be able to easily pay the registration fee Juniper Rag requires for artists to be featured in the publication. "I spend a lot of time, both at my day job and in my personal life, working with young artists who have big dreams for publications and exhibitions. Partic- ipation fees are tough for this group of artists who want exposure but can't pay their rent with it," said Dillon. "is is a universal problem for publications and organizations, and not one that anyone expects Juniper Rag to solve. Financial aid for submissions would be a wonder- ful thing to see, or maybe a special issue for artists under 30 with a discounted submission fee." Juniper Rag tries to keep the financial barrier for entry as low as possible, but May said they need to pay for overhead and be somewhat compensated for their time producing the magazine, setting up the shows, and promoting. Her hope is artists can sell work from the expo- sure in the magazines and at the shows that will far exceed the entry costs. Beyond the magazine and exhi- bitions, Juniper Rag offers creative marketing and design services to artists through Atelier ID Global. is comes in the form of marketing management, media kits, and websites. "We're creating marketing structures for artists who want to invest more in their art," said May. Juniper Rag has developed an online marketplace for artists as part of its website, which is in the process of grow- ing. Collectors can browse available art- work and learn more about the artists who created it. e duo work actively to grow their network and connect artists with collectors. In November, they attended Art Basel in Miami and in January are headed to Art and Design Week in Fort Lauderdale. In 2023, Juniper Rag is looking forward to more live exhibitions and online promotion, collaborating with other art organizations, and developing career-building workshops for artists, May said. Ultimately, Juniper Rag wants to con- nect artists and collectors. "We want to focus on the storytelling behind why people make art," said May. "Get to know these artists and start col- lecting art. Don't go to T.J. Maxx or Pier 1 Imports. If you can't afford, like, a giant piece, you just start small. So much art is affordable." Alice Dillon is a fiber artist and associate director of ArtsWorcester. Luis Fraire is co-owner of The White Room in Worcester and has curated for Juniper Rag. Birgit Straehle is a paintings conservator and co-owner of The White Room in Worcester. W PHOTO | COURTESY OF ALICE DILLON PHOTO | COURTESY OF LUIS FRAIRE PHOTO | COURTESY OF BIRGIT STRAEHLE

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