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By Leslie Dinaberg<\/a>, Managing Editor<\/p>\n Tuesday, November 28 is designated as #GivingTuesday<\/a>, when those who are able are urged to make donations to support local nonprofits. Now entering its sixth year, #GivingTuesday is a global day of giving\u2014as a counterpoint to Black Friday<\/a> and Cyber Monday<\/a> buying\u2014that celebrates and supports giving and philanthropy and is fueled by the power of social media and collaboration.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s something to consider when you make those donations: not only is art good for the soul, it\u2019s good for the wallet.<\/p>\n Did you know that Santa Barbara County\u2019s nonprofit arts and cultural organizations comprise a $200 million industry? According to a recent national study\u2014Arts & Economic Prosperity 5<\/a>, conducted by Americans for the Arts<\/a>\u2014which collected data from 250 regional partners, including Santa Barbara County, this number supports the equivalent of 5,857 local jobs and generates approximately generates $20 million in local and state tax revenue.<\/p>\n As Randy Cohen<\/a>, Vice President of Americans for the Arts stated, in a recent presentation at the Santa Barbara County Arts Symposium<\/a>, \u201cWhen you invest in the arts you are not investing in a frill, you are investing in a healthier Santa Barbara.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cArt is not the cherry on top of the split, it\u2019s one of the bananas,\u201d said Keynote Speaker and Mayor of New Orleans Mitch Landrieu<\/a>, sharing how the arts revitalized New Orleans post-Katrina.<\/p>\n And if those numbers don\u2019t grab you, there are some heartfelt stats that support the arts. According to another Americans for the Arts survey by Ipsos Public Affairs<\/a>, an overwhelming majority of Americans believe that the arts improve the quality of our personal lives and our communities.<\/p>\n For more information about the Giving Tuesday initiative and to search participating nonprofits in the Santa Barbara area, visit\u00a0www.givingtuesday.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons<\/em><\/a> on November 26, 2017.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/sbseasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/GT_logo2013-final-copy-small.jpg\"){kind=logo}
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According to the Americans for the Arts study section on Santa Barbara County:<\/p>\n\n
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