By Our Partners at Americans for the Arts
Arts and culture build stronger communities. Every day, more than 100,000 nonprofit arts and culture organizations in the U.S. are making their communities better places to live and work by beautifying cities, fueling creativity, celebrating diversity, and bringing joy to residents. They also employ people locally, purchase goods and services from nearby businesses, and produce the authentic cultural experiences that are magnets for visitors, tourists, and new residents.
So how do you measure the power of arts and culture? Over the past 30 years, Americans for the Arts has conducted the most comprehensive and inclusive economic impact study of the nonprofit arts and culture industry. The newly released Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6) study shows us that when we invest in arts and culture, we strengthen our economy and build more livable communities. You can read the full report here.
America’s nonprofit arts and culture sector is a $151.7 billion industry — one that supports 2.6 million jobs, provides $101 billion in personal income to residents, and generates $29.1 billion in government revenue. Arts and culture are kindling for the economy — enticing people out of their homes and spending money in the community. When people attend a cultural event, they often make an evening of it — dining at a restaurant, paying for parking or public transportation, enjoying dessert after the show, and returning home to pay for child or pet care. Few other industries can compete with arts and culture’s event-related spending, which brought in an additional $78.4 billion in event related expenditures by their audiences in 2022.
AEP6 represents a reset from its previous versions, establishing a new benchmark in the AEP study series.
- Social Impact: For the first time, AEP6 expands beyond the economic and financial data to include social impact measurements of arts and culture’s effect on the well-being of communities and residents.
- Equity and Inclusion: Americans for the Arts transformed its approach and expanded the inclusion and participation of organizations serving or representing communities of color.
In addition to national impact, AEP6 collected and analyzed local impact data for over 300 communities across the U.S. On Friday, November 3, in San José, Americans for the Arts, SVCREATES, and the City of San José Office of Cultural Affairs will release a report featuring the results of the study in our region. This local report will be available on both the SVCREATES and San José Office of Cultural Affairs websites.
AEP6 makes clear that when we fund the arts, we are not supporting a frill or an extra. Rather, we are investing in an industry — one that stimulates the economy, supports local jobs, and contributes to building healthy and vibrant communities.
About Americans for the Arts
Americans for the Arts (AFTA) works to build recognition and support for the extraordinary and dynamic value of the arts and to lead, serve, and advance the diverse networks of organizations and individuals who cultivate the arts in America. To learn more, please visit americansforthearts.org.
