I don't like speaking for others, but since Nenshi's already been brought into this I might as well go ahead.
Nenshi sees arts and culture as social infrastructure. They're not for visitors (although, attracting visitors helps) but for Calgarians. Arts, culture, architecture etc. are what help Calgary compete globally for the type of people who drive business in the city.
Quote:
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What we really know about what makes businesses succeed is that businesses succeed when they can attract and retain the talent that they need in order to do their jobs. [...] We play in a global pool of talent now, and we need to attract the very best in the world to our city. So helping business succeed also means investing in the urban fabric: investing in arts, investing in culture, recreation opportunities, and complete walkable, liveable, exciting communities.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtuZr8hot0c