Last year’s WARHOL exhibit at the College of DuPage’s McAninch Arts Center boosted tourism and infused $2.7 million in economic activity across the immediate region, according to a recent report.
Diana Martinez, executive director of WARHOL, went before the DuPage County Board on Tuesday, Sept. 10, and gave a by-the-numbers presentation on the exhibit’s impact on the entire region.
The county was a partner with WARHOL — which paid homage to Andy Warhol, who paved the way with the pop art movement of the 1960s — by offering some of its COVID-recovery funds through the American Rescue Plan Act.
Warhol exhibit drew visitors far and wide
According to Martinez’s analysis, an estimated 55% of the visitors who took in WARHOL-related exhibits at the MAC or an ancillary location were from DuPage County or an adjacent county.
Of the remaining 45%, the majority — 40% — lived in Illinois, but outside the immediate Chicago area. An additional 4% of the visitors came from out of state, and 1% were from outside the U.S. Martinez said she was able to tabulate visitors from 28 different countries.
Martinez said funds from the county helped market WARHOL beyond the immediate area with targeted digital advertising.
“The money that you gave us was specifically used to target out-of-town visitors to the WARHOL Museum and to share all of the different things that were happening across DuPage County,” Martinez said. “We did promote this as a countywide event.”
According to a survey sampling of 3,003 respondents, 37.64% indicated they dined out at a restaurant within DuPage County, and an additional 20.89% went shopping in nearby communities, including Naperville.
All told, Martinez said WARHOL is believed to have infused $2.7 million into DuPage County’s economy, based on an analysis on the number of visitors and their average spend while in the area.
New public art event planned next summer: Hokusai
With WARHOL deemed a success, Martinez said plans for a similar county-focused public art exhibit in the summer of 2025 are underway. The next show will be named Hokusai in honor of Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai, who lived from 1760-1849.
“He is the most famous artist out of Japan,” Martinez said. “The collection we’re getting comes from Europe, and it is one of the most respected collections in Europe of Japanese art. We have a lot of Japanese businesses in DuPage that we are looking to partner with for sponsorship and support.”
The program likely will include a stamp book, given to each participant. As each specific stop within the exhibit is visited across the county, a specific stamp will be provided to put into the book.
“People collect these stamps, and they use them like a journal,” Martinez said. “What we hope to do is have all of the different stations within the museum and then offer this to DuPage County organizations that are doing related events to the exhibition so that people will go throughout DuPage and collect the stamps.”
While specifics were not discussed at the recent County Board meeting, Martinez said she is hopeful officials will provide further financial assistance to help spread the reach and impact of the Hokusai exhibit.
Naperville a part of the public art displays
During the WARHOL exhibit, two themed displays were installed in Naperville. A Campbell’s soup can, referencing one of Andy Warhol’s most iconic works of art, was on display at the 95th Street Library, while portraits of four local Naperville celebrities modeled after the artist’s signature style were hung in the Nichols Library.
A total of 94 different groups attended WARHOL exhibits, and Naperville was one of nearly 30 individual communities that partnered with satellite displays.
The depth and breadth of offerings reportedly brought positive feedback from participants.
“Eighty-seven percent of the people commented that they learned something, and the overall experience was over 90% positive,” Martinez said.
District 5 commissioner Patty Gustin, who represents Naperville on the County Board, implored Martinez to loop city officials into planning efforts for the forthcoming Hokusai exhibit.
“When Hokusai comes to town, let the City of Naperville know also, because they do have a whole arts department,” Gustin said.
Martinez, in response, said, “We do plan to partner again. They’ve been great partners.”
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