Why Was Austin Missing From Arts City Study?

When people think of arts cities in Texas, most think of Austin. So why wasn’t Austin on the recent list of best arts cities in a study by Americans for the Arts? “Austin was not on the initial list because it and other midsize urban areas such as Portland, Nashville and Raleigh-Durham were not included in the study. So the American-Statesman requested follow-up research from the advocacy group. With midsize areas counted, according to data provided Tuesday by Americans for the Arts, Austin would rank third in the country with 3.46 arts businesses per 1,000 residents. The Santa Fe and Bellingham, Wash., areas would rank Nos. 1 and 2.” [sign-in requires first name: Use “access”]