Over the past twenty years there have thousands of communities around the country who have embraced the concept of "Buy Local" goods and services. (I recall Butte County had a buy local program back in the 1980s.) The core concept here is that buying from local stories or service providers (especially locally owned), rather than from stores who may be from outside the local area (owners from outside the local area). The idea is great at first glance, and can be an outstanding way to grow local entrepreneurs and protect the environment (goods are produced locally, versus shipped from hundreds if not thousands of miles away, thus a smaller carbon footprint). Furthermore, most locally produced goods do not require as many if any preservatives, which is always a plus. (For more information on the buy local argument, see: http://www.livingeconomies.org/ )

About 5-8 years ago, Bruce Jans prepared a number of outstanding profiles of locally "creative" artists who contribute to the community through their art. These profiles have been made available online through the Artoberfest website (click here to launch). The 2 minute videos are outstanding profiles of regional artists, including performance artists.

The act of creating these profiles itself is a form of creative art. More on Bruce Jans is available by clicking here .

During last week's Tri County Economic Forecast Conference, Randall Kempner referred to the importance of creativity. Specifically, he referred to the writings of Richard Florida, and his books which highlight the importance of attracting and retaining a talented workforce, and the importance of communities that accept different perspectives and differing views. (I highly recommend reading The Rise of the Creative Class, and The Flight of the Creative Class.)

Creativity is vital. One important and often overlooked aspect of any community is the arts. Last week the National Governor's Association released a new report highlighting the importance of the arts to community economic development. The report, available online (click here) provides an outstanding portrait of the ways in which the arts play an important role in supporting regional economic development across America.