Here’s how the Arts Council is recruiting companies to Baton Rouge

The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge has begun reaching out to companies outside the Capital Region in an effort to recruit them to Baton Rouge.

“We want to build a supportive arts ecosystem,” says Renee Chatelain, president and CEO of the Arts Council. “Businesses and the arts community can work together to build a community that’s appealing and bring people here.”

Last year, Shell donated $1 million to the Arts Council to help kick off the organization’s 50th anniversary. The donation emboldened the organization to have talks with larger companies, Chatelain says.

“We see other successful cities that use the arts for their economic development and it’s been successful,” says Chatelain, pointing to Nashville, Birmingham and Austin as markets that have connected economic development with their art communities. “Why not here?”

This story originally appeared in a July 21 issue of Daily Report. To keep up with Baton Rouge business and politics, subscribe to the free Daily Report e-newsletter here.