With the current downturns in the economy, Canadians are becoming more conscious of their purchases. Wallets are snapping shut and zippers are closing, belts are tightening and budgeting is becoming the latest couture.

More and more people are making the effort to buy locally in order to foster positive change in our local economy and there is a spreading realization that sending our money to other countries does not help Canada.

Through difficult times there is a part of the local economy that is often overlooked or deemed as frivolous and that is the arts and culture sector. Our federal and provincial governments have recently made cuts to arts and culture funding. What most people don’t realize is that spending money on local arts has an immediate and significant impact on the local and Canadian economies.

Merritt and the Nicola Valley are alive and vibrant with art of all kinds.

Here in the Nicola Valley, we have an arts community that includes virtually every style of art and artist one can imagine, including artists and writers of International renown. People in our community can furnish their homes with furniture and objets d’art, wear locally made clothing and accessories, read locally written and produced books and poetry, and fulfill their other entertainment needs with local music, theatre, and dance.

Buying local art does not just improve our community spiritually, it also improves it economically. Buying mass-produced or imported art sends a huge percentage of your money out of our country.

When you buy from the big-box stores, or a large scale importer, a tiny portion of your money goes to local wages, rent, groceries, etc. The bulk of it flies out of the country never to be seen again. Buying locally handmade goods keeps the majority of your money not just in Canada, but in Merritt and the Nicola Valley.

The impact of fostering local arts can be seen in any well known arts-tourist destination in Canada. Cities and towns that promote and nurture arts are strong economically. They are socially and economically healthy and pleasant places to be. Arts-rich communities not only keep more of their own money in the local economy, they bring in more money from other places. Artistic communities are places where people enjoy being and people visit such places with the expectation of spending money.

Local artists are always fighting the bad rap that local is significantly more expensive. Sometimes this can be the case, although price almost always reflects quality. There are many instances when buying local art is comparable or cheaper than buying from a large retailer. It is not difficult to find paintings, drawings, and prints that are similar or less in price than mass-produced home décor from department stores or furniture retailers.

Next time you redecorate your living room, consider purchasing a local painting. You will be supporting the local economy as well as making an investment. Keep in mind that mass-produced art only decreases in value over time. Unique art can increase and become a family heirloom. Which brings us to gift-giving . . .

Another way to support your local arts is through gift-giving. It is not difficult to find a reasonably priced piece of jewelry, a wood or ceramic bowl, scarf, or quilt, and you are giving something truly unique.

The next time you consider going out for an evening, consider attending a performance by the Merritt Live Theatre Group, the Community Choir, the Capital Sound Stage, or one of the community concerts put on by the Nicola Valley Community Arts Council. It won’t cost you as much as going to the movies in Kamloops or Kelowna and will certainly be worthwhile entertainment.

Buying locally is a pro-active approach that has almost immediate and positive impacts on the local economy. When you purchase a local piece of art, jewelry, or scarf, your money not only stays in the country, it stays in our community. This has an immediate positive effect on our community. Our local artists will thank you and most likely put that income right back into local artistic activities.”

The Nicola Valley Community Arts Council, like other countless local art supporting groups and societies, helps to improve not only the cultural well-being of our community, but also the economic climate.

This holiday shopping season take time to check out local galleries, shops, and shows. You will enrich not only your life, but the lives of everyone in our community.