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americanstyle magazines top 25 arts destinations

updated thu 3 jun 99

 

Wendy Rosen on wed 2 jun 99

AmericanStyle Magazine Readers Name
Top 25 U.S. Arts Travel Destinations

Big Cities Recapture Hearts of America's Arts Lovers
New York, San Francisco Top List

Big cities have recaptured the hearts of America's arts lovers.

AmericanStyle magazine releases the results of its annual poll for the Top
25 Arts Destinations in the current Summer issue. The magazine's readers
have shifted dramatically in their choices for arts - replacing traditional
small town artists' communities which topped the list in '98 with major
metropolitan markets.

The report, which appears in the summer issue of the quarterly arts
lifestyle publication, reveals a surprising departure from last year's
results. New York now tops the list hands down, up from the #3 spot in
1998, with San Francisco taking second place (up from #4). And cities like
Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., totally absent from the Top 25 list in
1998, have catapulted into the top 10.

On the other hand, arts communities like Sedona, AZ and Taos, NM, which
ranked #5 and #6 respectively last year, have dropped off the Top 10 list
this year.

The reason?

"Over the last few years, artists have been capitalizing on the pricing and
availability of old warehouse and waterfront space in urban areas,"
explains AmericanStyle publisher Wendy Rosen. "This artists' flight back to
the big cities has helped dramatically invigorate the arts scene in those
markets." And the big cities have, in turn, embraced this ongoing trend
through aggressive marketing and tourist programs. As a result, the
industry is seeing a shift from arts collectors traveling the country art
fairs and out-of-the-way destinations back to these metropolitan areas, she
adds.

The AmericanStyle Reader
AmericanStyle readership reflects an audience of contemporary craft
collectors and enthusiasts who appreciate and collect fine art and craft,
and who regularly travel to art and craft events in pursuit of their
passions. They were asked to select their top choices for arts travel
destinations based on the richness and variety of visual arts sites,
activities and events in each place.

AmericanStyle editor and co-author of the report, Hope Daniels adds: "Our
readers selections underscore the incredible diversity and excellence of
arts offerings, from museums and galleries to open studios, craft shows and
special arts events, all across the country."

Following New York City and San Francisco in descending order of the Top 10
are Santa Fe (down from first place in 1998), Seattle (which took second
place last year); Chicago (up from eighth place last year); New Orleans (up
from 13th); Los Angeles (a newcomer to the Top 25); Boston (up from 12th
place last year); Philadelphia (nudging up from 10th place in 1998); and
Washington D.C. (also new to the Top 25).

Rounding out the remaining Top 25 Arts Destinations, based on readers'
choices, are (in descending order): 11. Denver, CO; 12. New Hope, PA; 13.
Asheville, NC; 14. Taos, NM; 15. Tucson, AZ; 16. Miami, FL; 17. Phoenix,
AZ; 18. Portland, OR; 19. Makawao, HI; 20. Boulder, CO; 21. Carmel, CA; 22.
Scottsdale, AZ; 23. St. Louis, MO; 24. Atlanta, GA; and 25. Lambertville,
NJ.

Votes were tallied from ballots inserted in the Winter '98 issue of
American Style and submitted electronically from the AmericanStyle website
(www.americanstyle.com).

AmericanStyle Summer '99 issue hits newsstands on May 28.


Wendy Rosen
The Rosen Group

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http://www.americanstyle.com

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