The Quartz Mountain Music Festival not only enhances the quality of life in Southwest Oklahoma, but a recent study shows that cultural enrichment investments also result in increased economic activity, tourism, jobs and tax revenues.

Americans for the Arts conducted an economic impact study for the Oklahoma Arts Council, using data from QMMF and other Oklahoma nonprofit arts and culture organizations. The study revealed that the organizations and audiences generated $314.8 million in local economic activity during 2008-2009.

Oklahoma’s arts industry supports 10,156 full-time equivalent jobs, generates $211 million in household income and delivers $29.4 million to local and state governments in taxes and fees. Nonprofit arts and culture organizations spend $176.5 million annually, leveraging $138.3 million in additional spending by arts and culture audiences—spending that pumps vital revenue into local restaurants, hotels, retail stores, parking garages and other businesses in the state.

“The arts mean business for Oklahoma,” said Suzanne Tate, executive director of the Oklahoma Arts Council. “As the official state agency for the support and development of the arts in Oklahoma, this study provides evidence that when we support the arts, we not only enhance our quality of life, we also invest in the State of Oklahoma’s economic well being,” said Tate.

Los Romeros and Friends” (Romero Guitar Quartet) will kick off festival 2010 with a guitar quartet performance at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 24 at Western Oklahoma State College’s Herschal H. Crow Fine Arts Center in Altus, Okla. The QMMF Chamber Players will perform at 7 p.m. Friday, July 30 and the QMMF Orchestra at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 31, both at the Robert M. Kerr Performing Arts Center in Quartz Mountain State Park.

Advance and student tickets are available. To purchase tickets, call the Altus Chamber of Commerce at 580-482-0210; for more information, call 580-649-7596 or visit the festival website at www.qmmf.org.

Oklahoma’s Lt. Gov. Jari Askins chairs the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Commission. “The 5th Annual Quartz Mountain Music Festival will be a fantastic opportunity for Southwest Oklahoma to showcase itself as a region of artistic tourism,” Askins said. “This year’s event features musicians from across the country; and at under $30 per ticket, the festival provides affordable access to world-class performances. We hope that people from all over the Southwest will visit for the music and for the unique natural beauty of Quartz Mountain and the surrounding area.”

During the 2010 festival week, Western Oklahoma State College in Altus will host a new Chamber Music Academy and a new Orchestral Music Academy; and the 2nd Annual Guitar Academy and 2nd Annual Oklahoma Outback Art Festival are planned in Granite. In future years, QMMF plans to establish additional academies in vocal and choral arts, jazz and conducting in other communities surrounding Quartz.

Altus Chamber of Commerce President Holley Urbanski said Altus’ motels are all full during the QMMF in July, the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute for high school students in June and other events during the year. “QMMF is a wonderful program that utilizes the fantastic facilities at Quartz Mountain Arts and Conference Center and Nature Park,” Urbanski said. “It’s a program which definitely is a draw for local people and enhances the number of visitors that come to this part of the state.”

Other nearby cities of Hobart, Mangum and Elk City also offer eating establishments and motel and bed and breakfast accommodations. For housing or dining information at Quartz Mountain Arts and Conference Center, call 580-563-2424.

Ken Fergeson of Altus, chairman of the QMMF board of directors during its formative years, said the festival not only attracts local support but brings in individuals from far away with an interest in chamber music, orchestra, guitar or jazz. “I have friends from Oklahoma City that drive down here just to hear the jazz,” Fergeson said. “If we don’t keep it too much of a secret, this will be a wonderful thing for us for many years to come.”

Brenda Hickerson of Granite, former QMMF board member, said the festival benefits the region educationally, economically and culturally. In 2009, people attended from across Oklahoma and Texas and also from the Dallas Metroplex, Colorado and Canada. “So, we are not only receiving a great cultural experience for those of us living in this area, but we are bringing people from other regions to experience our Oklahoma culture and hospitality,” Hickerson said.

Megan Simpson of Cordell, an avocational violinist, considers the festival with world-class musicians essential to Southwest Oklahoma. “I think the festival is a big move for this area, a great feature to attract both tourists and people who might want to move to this area,” Simpson said. “People making decisions in the next decade about where they want to live are going to be attracted to less metropolitan areas--but only if those areas have opportunities, schools and the arts. They are essential to families, especially if they want to raise their children with exposure to music and visual arts.”

Interesting sites to visit while in Southwest Oklahoma for the festival include: Altus—Morgan Doll Museum, Imagination Station Playground; Elk City--Anadarko Basin Museum of Natural History, National Route 66 Museum; Granite—Headquarters Mountain Hiking Trail and Butterfly Garden, Will Rogers Mosaic, Comecos Cemetery (with a sense of humor); Hobart—Gen. Tommy Franks Leadership Institute & Museum, Kiowa County Historical Museum; Mangum—“Artists Alley” Galleries which include OK Cowboy Art Gallery, Rockin’ T Studio, Darka Designs, Pleasant Nest Pottery, Café Latte Da, Ole Fashion Ice Cream Shop. Quartz Mountain State Park offers recreation for the whole family--nature trail, hiking trails, rock climbing, fun park, double water slide, paddle boats, miniature golf and an 18-hole golf course.