Superfunding

What does sports have to do with the arts? Well, the announcement that Detroit will be hosting the Super Bowl in 2006 is an interesting step in our fair city’s perpetual comeback. While some may question whether new stadiums and casinos are money well spent, no one can deny that the traffic downtown (at least in the few square miles that contains the aforementioned attractions) has increased substantially. So what does this have to do with someone who could care less about the Lions, Tigers or any other athletic team with an animal name? Well, the funny thing about the arts — theater, music, galleries et al. — is that without support, they can’t survive; and that support comes in many elusive forms. The mere presence of someone in Detroit — especially when that person five years ago would have had little reason to set foot across Eight Mile or Alter Road — means not only one more person who could conceivably also attend an arts event, but also more money into the coffers of the city. And, yes, this is an utterly imperfect system, but eventually some of that money winds up in the hands of the arts community. One could even imagine the DIA open more than 25 hours per week, all because the city is in the position where it can appropriate the money to make this happen. All because of the Super Bowl … perhaps.