Seedtime completes economic impact study

A happy gathering of more than 200 people for John McCutcheon and the Carcassonne Square Dance at
Seedtime capped Seedtime on the Cumberland 2009, the 23rd annual celebration presented by Appalshop. Seedtime involved some 775 participants during its June 11 through June 13 run in Whitesburg. Using a formula developed by Appalachian State University for MerleFest, Seedtime organizers calculated a local economic impact of $177,300 from Seedtime, festival chair Art Menius reported. Seedtime, the official kick off for Appalshop’s 40th anniversary, drew participants from Italy, Illinois, Virginia, West Virginia, Mississippi, Minnesota, North Carolina, Indonesia, Tennessee, Indiana, Georgia, Missouri, Wisconsin, California, Ohio, and Kentucky. Seedtime 2010, also part of Appalshop’s 40th anniversary celebration, is scheduled for June 10 through 12.

Data from interviews with 37 festival participants indicated that they attended an average of two days of the festival and spent one and a quarter nights in Letcher County. Not counting tickets, the average Seedtime attendee spent $118 in Letcher, Menius said. Kentucky accounted for not quite half of the Seedtime guests. Letcher County, however, accounted for only 28% of the Kentuckians, down from last year’s 31% and now trailing Fayette County.

“We’re very proud to celebrate our 40 years here by contributing both to the cultural health of the area and the economic health of Letcher County,” Menius said. “Seedtime 2009 proves that money invested in the arts and culture delivers a seven-fold return to the economy. What is more important, however, is presenting outstanding musicians, films, crafts, and other cultural activities here in Whitesburg. Whitesburg is the cultural capital of southeastern Kentucky. Arts and culture will prove essential to rebuilding downtown Whitesburg and improving the economy of Letcher County. Culture is a powerful force for community development.”

Attendees enjoyed performances by Wayne Henderson; John McCutcheon; Ginny Hawker and Kay Justice with Tracy Schwarz; Roger Cooper; Jeni & Billy; Sparky & Rhonda Rucker; Jim & Ada McCown with Paul David Smith; Lee Sexton; Turbo Pro Project, Brett Ratliff and the Blind Tiger String Band, Elkville String Band, Rich and the Po’ Folks, Ras Alan; Paula Larke; and the Cowan Creek Pick and Bow All-Stars. Participants also delighted in jam sessions, film screenings, picking contests, gallery exhibits, an old-time shape note singing school hosted by Dr. Ron Pen, literary readings featuring Gurney Norman, a Youth Bored concert featuring reclusive punk legend Peter Stubb, a display of memorabilia from Appalshop’s forty years of filmmaking, Appalachian Media Institute (AMI) work including the installation in the old Post Office, craftspeople, and food vendors. Storyteller Angelyn DeBord performed Saturday afternoon, while The Cowan Women who presented an original play, “It’s About Time,” in the Appalshop Theater. Shawn Lind’s new Appalshop film about Henderson, From Wood to Singing Guitar, debuted on Thursday.

The support of its sponsors made possible the free components and helped keep the ticket costs down in the evening. 2009 sponsors were the Letcher County Fiscal Court and Letcher County Convention & Tourism Commission, Kentucky Department of Travel, Lonesome Records, Parkway Pharmacy, Community Trust Bank, the Parkway Inn, the Mountain Eagle newspaper, Whitaker’s Food World of Whitesburg & Neon, Mama Mac’s at Kona, Home Town Music, Courthouse Café, Summit City Lounge, Lawson Water Conditioning, and Alternate Roots. Seedtime, as a part of Appalshop, also receives support from Kentucky Arts Council and the Appalshop Production & Education Fund. Seedtime 2009 also acknowledged the support of the City of Whitesburg, WMMT-FM, Cowan Creek Mountain Music School, Letcher County Senior Citizens Centers, Letcher County Community News-Press, National Performance Network, Cowan Community Action Group, National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Historical Publications & Records Commission, Kentucky Foundation for Women, National Film Preservation Foundation, Southern Arts Federation, Roy Tackett, Super 8 Motel, Mountain Heritage Festival, Graham Memorial Presbyterian Church, and Whitesburg First Baptist Church.