Founded in 2009, the Big Ears Festival lays claim to bringing more diverse music acts to single locale than any other event or gathering. From roots to the avant-garde, the fest brings together performers from around the world to music and other arts aficionados who are also from around the world, all to the heart of Appalachia in Knoxville, Tennessee. The irony is not lost on anyone who has ever participated in Big Ears.
I use the word “participate” because its audiences are as much participants in the festival as are the artists. It is a symbiotic relationship that has no equal. It is also a prime example of how the arts have an economic impact on a community second to none. With a budget of $3.5 million, the festival has an annual impact of $68.9 million on the local economy. Big Ears is not alone, funding for the arts has a far greater return than any other endeavor. Next time someone attempts to justify using tax payer dollars to pay for a sports stadium or arena just pull that out of your hat.
