Page 34 - 2023 Westchester County Economic Development Guide

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WESTCHESTER COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GUIDE
Cultivating and Advancing Talent Hudson River Museum
A Cultural Economic
Driver
e Hudson River Museum brings a world-class museum experience to the New York metropolitan area, while
sBoasting an amphitheater, educational spaces, an important collection of American art, and the County’s only public planetarium, e Hudson River Museum is a multidisciplinary
art, science and history institution. Museum Director and CEO Masha Turchinsky explains how – beyond its vast and evolving collection, and a transformative new expansion
– this vibrant cultural institution helps to drive the local economy and quality of life.
A Local Institution with a Broad Impact
“Our audience is Westchester-based but we draw widely based on the quality of the programming,” says Turchinsky. “In 2022 we welcomed record visitation from 45 states and around the world. In the same time period, we welcomed visitors from 75 of the 77 zip codes throughout Westchester County. Our reach extends far beyond e Hudson River School and into key issues facing society today.”
Culture with a Strong ROI
“Museums are not just nice things to have – we have a fun- damental and positive impact on our communities. We offer a strong return on investment: five dollars for every one dollar invested,” Turchinsky explains. “Cultural organizations matter in ways that the public doesn’t o”en immediately realize. We are cited by realtors as positively impacting property values, community investment, and thriving neighborhoods. When
a visitor from California, for example, visits the Hudson River Museum, the trip usually involves shopping or eating locally or staying in a hotel. at visit becomes a strong contribution to the financial infrastructure of the County.”
According to Turchinsky, “e Museum engages in many significant partnerships. We contract and collaborate with local corporations to support educational offerings for the community, from exhibitions in our galleries to perfor- mances in our Amphitheater and Planetarium. We’re also a job creator; we hire writers, artists, musicians, dancers, scientists, and educators.”
upporting the Westchester community in unexpected ways.
Social impact
Grants and individual support allow us to give back to
the community via studio workshops for families on a variety of topics. We work with financial institutions to teach financial literacy to our Junior Docents and connect the community to local business leaders. For the last 28 years, the museum has been running an award-winning teen leadership program in which our youth are exposed to numerous career paths from curation to strategic planning. is multifaceted program opens doors; as the saying goes, ‘young people need to see it in order to be it.’”
Fostering societal change
“We make a concerted effort to feature works by historically underrepresented artists, women, people of color and LGBTQ individuals, because it matters deeply to be and feel represented. Today, we live in an o”en polarized society, and museums are one of the few places to talk about challenging issues and engage in civil discourse. We can leverage a work of art that is conveying something,
but we don’t need to pontificate, as the work speaks for itself. Having candid and constructive discourse is urgently needed in society. One recent example is a deceptively playful installation on display by artist Federico Uribe, which was made of thousands of pieces of upcycled plastic. It’s joyful, but the artist also wants viewers to understand
the dangers of indiscriminate use of plastics and their destructive impact on our waterways. Museums are in a unique position to moderate these discussions and advance important issues to help people take action.”
Did you know? Arts and culture are key economic drivers in Westchester County, generating $172.3 million in total economic activity and creating more than 5,000 jobs.
Above: e Museum’s West Wing capital improvement project includes dedicated special exhibition galleries, a sculpture court, a 100 tiered-seat auditorium and necessary art storage space.
© Courtesy of Hudson River Museum / Photo: Steve Paneccasio