[vertex]

Here's an interesting survey released last month that tries to measure how non-profit arts and cultural institutions impact cities and regions economically.

There are a couple of exceptions to the survey. It doesn't include the impact of the popular, for-profit entertainment industry (film, broadway, music, etc). It also has a few notable cities missing (New York, L.A., Boston). But for the most part it does manage to include data from almost every other medium to large city, and often includes regional/metro data as well.

Researchers compiled expenditure and attendance data from all of the participants surveyed to measure total industry spending. Expenditures for non-profits includes money spent on artists, administration, production, facility expenses and acquiring assets. Attendance data (not counting the cost of admission) includes factors such as lodging, gifts, meals and transportation. Other factors used include the number of full-time equivalent jobs generated, local/state revenue, and household income.

All-in-all, it's a pretty revealing survey, with a number of surprises, especially from a lot of the medium-sized cities, as well as a number of cities not popularly associated with the arts.

The Arts and Economic Prosperity (http://www.artsusa.org/information_resources/research_information/services/economic_impact/default.asp) website

Link to the summary report (http://www.artsusa.org/pdf/information_resources/research_information/services/economic_impact/aepiii/summary_report.pdf) (with background and methodology) (pdf file)

Link to the summary findings (http://www.artsusa.org/pdf/information_resources/research_information/services/economic_impact/aepiii/summary_findings.pdf) (Pdf file)

Link to the detailed findings (http://www.artsusa.org/pdf/information_resources/research_information/services/economic_impact/aepiii/detailed_findings.pdf) (Pdf file)

[hauntedheadnc]

The arts are worth approximately $62 million dollars a year to the Asheville area. A study was done on it either last year or the year before.

[bnk]

** Deleted for copyright infringement **

- Dylan Leblanc

[hauntedheadnc]

This was just released today in my local paper:

Arts generate $65 million annually in Buncombe County, study says
by STAFF REPORTS
published June 8, 2007 5:23 pm

ASHEVILLE - The nonprofit arts and culture industry in Buncombe County generates $65 million and 2,192 jobs annually, according to a new national report.

The Asheville Area Arts Council compiled the local figures as part of the most comprehensive economic impact study of the nonprofit arts and culture industry conducted in the United States.

The “Arts & Economic Prosperity III” study by Americans for the Arts was conducted in 156 communities and regions (116 cities and counties, 35 multi-county regions and five states), including Buncombe County. The Asheville Area Arts Council helped gather to detailed economic data from 28 arts organizations among the 6,080 local arts organizations surveyed nationwide.

Americans for the Arts, which conducted the national study, is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America. The local data reveals that Buncombe County’s nonprofit arts industry generates $65.1 million in economic activity annually, including:

* 553 full-time equivalent jobs

* $12.7 million in resident household income

* $535,000 in local government tax revenues

* $778,000 in state government tax revenues

“The arts is an industry with tremendous impact on the local economy. The findings from this study should carry the same weight as economic data analysis of any other industry, such as manufacturing or tourism,” said Asheville Area Arts Council executive director Adrienne Crowther.

The $65.1 million total includes $16.7 million in spending by arts organizations and $48.4 million in event-related spending by arts audiences, excluding the cost of admission. The $48.4 million in event-related spending by arts audiences reflects an average of $39.65 per person in spending for hotels, restaurants, parking, souvenirs, refreshments, or other similar costs (non-local attendees spend nearly twice as much as local attendees - $60.01 compared to $26.46.