“Communities that are successful in the arts are normally successful in attracting economic development,” says Paducah Mayor Bill Paxton.  In this episode of Quality of Life, Mayor Paxton talks to Frank Bennett, Executive Director of the National Quilt Museum of the United States, and Mary Hammond, Executive Director of the Paducah Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Quality of Life can be seen on Government 11, Paducah’s governmental access channel.  The episode also is online at www.paducahky.gov and the various social media outlets for the City of Paducah including Youtube and Facebook.  Check the website for Government 11 program information, videos, news releases, and broadcast schedules.

Bennett says, “Over 95% of the people that visit the museum are coming in from other areas, which is great for tourism, but everyone in Paducah should enjoy the art museum, too.”  Bennett adds, “We’re so sure that you will be blown away by how nice it is.”  The National Quilt Museum averages 40,000 visitors each year.

Bennett became the Executive Director of the National Quilt Museum in June 2011.  In this episode of Quality of Life, viewers will learn about the National Quilt Museum and how it is a separate entity from the AQS Quilt Show & Contest.

In reviewing the visitors to the museum, Bennett says there are two types of visitors:  quilters and cultural tourists.  Bennett says, “On an average day we see more cultural tourists who want to have that art museum experience when they come in.”  Hammond says the tourists often notice the elements of Paducah that residents may take for granted.   “They see in the community sometimes the things we don’t see ourselves.  They really appreciate the cleanliness, the quality of the architecture, and the spirit of the place,” says Hammond.  Those qualities helped Paducah achieve the 2011 Dozen Distinctive Destinations recognition through the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Sports fans will enjoy the comparison by Bennett between golfing and visiting the museum.  Bennett says the National Quilt Museum can be compared to watching the Masters Golf Tournament.  “That’s what the Quilt Museum is to fiber artists.  This is where the professional, best quilters in the world display their art, and that’s what you are going to see when you visit,” says Bennett.

Quality of Life: National Quilt Museum can be viewed on Government Channel 11 starting Tuesday, September 27 at 11:00 a.m.  It also airs Wednesday, September 28 at 8:00 a.m.; Friday, September 30 at 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday, October 1 at 5:30 p.m.

For more information about Quality of Life and other Government 11 programming, call Tom Butler, WKCTC Television Production Coordinator, at 534-3208 or Pam Spencer, City of Paducah Public Information Officer, at 444-8669.

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