PRESIDENT KOCH, CHRISTOPHER COLBURN RECOGNIZED FOR CONTRIBUTION TO ARTS

Old Dominion University President James V. Koch and Christopher Colburn, associate professor of economics, received the 1991 ALLI Award from the Cultural Alliance of Greater Hampton Roads in recognition of their contributions to arts and culture in Hampton Roads.

Named for its sponsor, the Cultural Alliance, the ALLI Award began in 1987 to provide a means for the arts and cultural community to publicly and collectively recognize the valued support they receive from individuals, businesses and the media. To be considered, a nominee's support in the form of grants, in-kind goods, services, space, volunteer hours or publicity must have directly benefited the arts and cultural community.

Koch and Colburn were selected for the award for an Old Dominion study on the economic impact of the arts and culture in Hampton Roads. The survey, authored by Colburn and released last June, showed nonprofit cultural institutions employed 7,617 workers who earned $123.3 million and generated $8.1 million in local taxes. The combined economic impact of these institutions in 1998 was $510.2 million, according to Colburn.

The study was the second such research conducted by Colburn. In 1993, he conducted a similar study with former Old Dominion public administration professor George Julnes.