Why donate to the Ogden Museum?

Exposing students to the arts improves problem-solving, critical thinking, empathy, language development, and social skills. A 2013 study by Americans for the Arts states that young people who participate regularly in the arts are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, to participate in a math or science fair or to win an award for writing an essay or poem than children who do not participate. Despite these remarkable statistics, nearly 60% of Louisiana schools have no budget for arts education.  The Ogden Museum strives to fill this gap for thousands of students each year.

Having cultural institutions in our communities provides a sense of collective identity, improves a community’s image, builds social capital, and promotes cultural diversity.

One of the best factors to show the positive effect the arts have on our nation is to look at the economic impact of the industry. Nationally, the arts industry generates over $135 billion of economic activity – $61 billion by the nation’s nonprofit arts and culture organizations in addition to $74 billion in event-related expenditures by their audiences. This economic activity supports 4.13 million full-time jobs that generate $86.8 billion in resident household income. The industry also provides $22.3 billion in revenue to local, state, and federal governments every year.