Arts & Economic Prosperity III: The Economic Impact of Nonprofit Arts and Culture Organizations and Their Audiences documents the key role played by the nonprofit arts and culture industry in strengthening our nation’s economy. This study demonstrates that the nonprofit arts and culture industry is an economic driver in communities—a growth industry that supports jobs, generates government revenue, and is the cornerstone of tourism.

Nationally, the nonprofit arts and culture industry generates $166.2 billion in economic activity every year—$63.1 billion in spending by organizations and an additional $103.1 billion in event-related spending by their audiences. The study is the most comprehensive study of the nonprofit arts and culture industry ever conducted. It documents the economic impact of the nonprofit arts and culture industry in 156 communities and regions (116 cities and counties, 35 multicounty regions, and five states), and represents all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The $166.2 billion in total economic activity has a significant national impact, generating the following:

$ 5.7 million full-time equivalent jobs

$104.2 billion in household income

$7.9 billion in local government tax revenues

$9.1 billion in state government tax revenues

$12.6 billion in federal income tax revenues

Investing  jobs in the Arts Makes a Powerful Difference in our Communities:

• Increased funding in the arts invests in an industry that supports jobs, generates government revenue, is the cornerstone of tourism and economic development, and drives a creativity-based economy.
• Investment in non-profit arts generates a spectacular 7:1 return on investment. For every $1 of public support invested in the arts, $7 are invested in private support.
• The arts create an immediate impact — every dollar of arts funding goes to work immediately creating jobs, attracting investment, generating tax revenue, and stimulating local economies through tourism and consumer purchases.
• Artists constitute a sizeable class of workers — only slightly smaller than the total number of active-duty and reserve personnel in the U.S. military.
• The performing arts draw more attendance than sports. 70% of Americans attend at least one performing arts event per year versus 53% that attend one sports event.
• Children who receive an arts education on a regular basis are more likely to be recognized for academic achievement and less likely to engage in delinquent behavior.
• A strong arts and culture sector and a creative workforce attract and keep businesses in the community – it is one of the top ten attributes corporations look for in a new business site.

Resources
Americans for the Arts, Economic Prosperity and the Creative Industries
National Governors Association, Arts and the Economy, 2009
National Endowment for the Arts, Research Center
The Performing Arts Research Coalition

For more information or to download case studies and reports, please visit http://www.americansforthearts.org.