Americans for the Arts to Study the Economic Impact of Spending by Nonprofit Arts and Culture Organizations & Their Audiences
Central Oregon is one of 300 U.S. communities to participate in the Arts and Economic Prosperity 5 survey to demonstrate that nonprofit arts are economic, employment powerhouse.
The Arts and Culture Alliance of Central Oregon announced they will be participating in the Arts and Economic Prosperity 5 (AEP5) Central Oregon is one of 300 U.S. communities that will be participating in this study, making it the largest national study measuring the economic impact of spending by nonprofit arts and culture organizations and their audiences ever conducted. Surveys will be collected throughout calendar year 2016; results will be released in June 2017.
Conducted by Americans for the Arts, AEP5 is the fifth national study over the past 20 years to measure the impact of arts spending on local jobs, income paid to local residents, and revenue generated to local and state governments.
The participating communities represent all 50 states plus the District of Columbia. A partner organization representing each community will collect detailed financial information from its local nonprofit arts and culture organizations such as local theater and dance companies, museums and galleries, and arts education organizations. Study partners will also collect audience-intercept surveys from attendees at arts events using a short, anonymous questionnaire that asks how much they spent on items such as meals, parking and transportation, souvenirs and retail shopping, and overnight lodging as a direct result of attending the event. Additional analyses will gauge the important role that the nonprofit arts industry plays in attracting tourists
to communities.
In Central Oregon, some of the participating nonprofits include, The Tower Theatre, Sunriver Music Festival, Deschutes Historical Museum, DPL Foundation, Museum at Warm Springs, Caldera, High Desert Museum, Madras Performing Arts Center, A6, Sisters Quilt Show and 2nd Street Theatre.
AEP4, the most recent national study, based on FY 2010 data, was completed near the end of the Great Recession. This new study, based on FY2015 data, will demonstrate how the arts have fared during a robust period of economic recovery and growth.
“Our Arts and Economic Prosperity series demonstrates that the arts are an economic and employment powerhouse both locally and across the nation,” said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. “Leaders who care about community and economic vitality can feel good about choosing to invest in the arts. Nationally as well as locally, the arts mean business.”
According to AEP4, the nonprofit arts industry generated $135.2 billion in economic activity and supported 4.1 million full-time equivalent jobs during 2010, resulting in $22.3 billion in federal,state, and local government revenues. The $135.2 billion total included $61.1 billion in spending by arts and culture organizations and an additional $74.1 billion in event-related spending by their audiences. A statistic that captured the attention of business and government leaders was that the typical attendee to a nonprofit arts event spends $24.60 per person, per event, beyond the cost of admission on meals, transportation, babysitting, and other event-related spending. Additionally, 32 percent of all arts attendees live outside of the county in which the arts event took place—a finding based on a survey sample of 152,000 arts attendees.
Americans for the Arts’ Arts and Economic Prosperity 5 study is supported by The Ruth Lilly Fund of Americans for the Arts. In addition, Americans for the Arts’ local and statewide study partners are contributing both time and a cost-sharing fee to support to the study. Financial information from organizations will be collected in partnership with Data Arts, using a new online survey interface. For a full list of the communities participating in the Arts and Economic Prosperity 5study, visit www.AmericansForTheArts.org/AEP5Partners.
The Arts and Culture Alliance believes that creativity strengthens Central Oregon. Since forming in 2010, the ACA has connected its members through collaboration, education, advocacy, promotion and networking. The ACA is a non-profit association of diverse organizations, businesses and individuals creating and nurturing cultural opportunities in the community. Additional information is available at www.artsadncultureco.org.
Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education in America. With offices in Washington, D.C. and New York City, it has a record of more than 50 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Additional information is available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org
