It may seem, in tough economic times, that people keep their focus on critical social needs and don’t value the arts. Not so, says Julie Simpson, an arts education consultant, philanthropic advisor, and former executive director of Urban Gateways, a large community arts education provider in Chicago. Most people consider the arts “a key factor in what they call healthy community,” Simpson maintains. “But needs such as foreclosures, jobs, health, food deserts, and crime will trump the arts.” Nevertheless, people welcome the arts when they’re infused in other initiatives that address those needs. According to Simpson, “We’re living in a new environment that demands cross-sector partnerships. There’s an opportunity here that actually ratchets up the value of the arts.”