The arts are a vitally important economic industry, generating revenue, creating jobs and developing communities. Several resources below offer substantial research findings on the arts and economic development, from statewide economic impact studies to national reports.

State Study

Some highlights are:

• Florida’s arts and cultural industry is one of the fastest growing in the state. Its annual statewide economic impact has grown from $1.7 billion in 1997 to over $2.9 billion and now supports over 28,000 full-time equivalent jobs.
  
• Florida’s arts and cultural organizations, which constitute a small fraction of the state’s entire arts and entertainment industry, expended $1.2 billion in FY 2001.
  
• Attendees at the programs and events of not-for-profit cultural organizations exceeded 400 million in 2000-01. Audience participation is significant because attendance at these events generates related commerce for local businesses such as hotels, restaurants, and shops.
  
• An estimated 7 million out-of-state tourists visited Florida’s cultural facilities or attended cultural events as a primary activity. These “cultural” tourists spent $4.5 billion, adding $9.3 billion to the state's gross regional product and creating 103,713 full-time equivalent jobs with a payroll of $2.6 billion.

Return on Investment: Florida's Cultural, Historical and Library Programs is an economic impact summary brochure published by the Florida Department of State in 2005 which highlights not only the economic impact of the arts but also the impact of our state's historic preservation and libraries.

Return on Investment Page 1 (pdf - 1,294 kb)
Return on Investment Brochure Page 2 (pdf 1,173 kb)

Local Studies

The following local Florida communities have conducted their own economic impact studies of the arts:

Alachua County
http://www.gvlculturalaffairs.org/website/A&EProsperity_Booklet.pdf

Brevard County
http://www.artsbrevard.org/resources.php?content=study

Broward County
http://www.broward.org/arts/publications/afta_reports/afta_07_report.htm

Jacksonville (Duval County)
www.culturalcouncil.org/support/economic-impact/

Palm Beach County
https://www.trustedpartner.com/docs/library/000174/EconomicImpactReport2004.pdf

Pinellas County
http://www.pinellasarts.org/pdf/economic_pros_cty.pdf

Polk County
http://www.polkartsalliance.org/eis_2005_study.htm

Sarasota
http://www.sarasota-arts.org/documents_april04/2_SarasotaReport.pdf

Tampa Bay
http://www.tbbca.org/impact.htm

National / regional Studies

New England Foundation for the Arts has a creative economy initiative that covers the New England States
http://www.nefa.org/projinit/createecon/cei.html

According to the report, America's nonprofit arts industry generates:

• $134 billion in economic activity every year, including $24.4 billion in federal, state, and local tax revenues.
• The $134 billion total includes $53.2 billion in spending by arts organizations and $80.8 billion in event-related spending by arts audiences.
• The $53.2 billion represents a 45 percent increase (from $36.8 billion) since 1992.
• The $80.8 billion in event-related spending by arts audiences reflects an average of $22.87 per person in spending for hotels, restaurants, parking, souvenirs, refreshments, or other similar costs-with non-local attendees spending nearly twice as much as local attendees ($38.05 compared to $21.75).
• The $134 billion in total economic activity has a significant national impact, generating the following: 4.85 million full-time equivalent jobs.
• $89.4 billion in household income.
• $6.6 billion in local government tax revenues.
• $7.3 billion in state government tax revenues.
• $10.5 billion in federal income tax revenues.

The Cultural Policy & the Arts National Data Archive (CPANDA) is a new, interactive digital archive of data on the arts and cultural policy in the U.S., available for research and statistical analysis, with data on artists, arts and cultural organizations, audiences, and funding for arts and culture.

The Foundation Center and Grantmakers in the Arts recently released Arts Funding IV: An Update of Foundation Trends, the most up-to-date analysis available of foundation giving patterns for arts, culture, humanities, and media.  The study includes estimates of overall foundation funding for the arts and finds that grantmakers support decreased 3.5 percent to an estimated $4.05 billion in 2002, after peaking at an estimated $4.2 billion in 2001.  "Highlights" from this report can be viewed at www.fdncenter.org/research.  For more information about the report, call the Foundation Center at (212) 620-4230, email: lr@fdncenter.org at

Arts and Culture Study Paints a Picture of the Economic Impact of the Arts on our Region
http://unitedarts.cc/Client_Content/subpage.aspx?PGID=7

Central Florida
http://www.orangecountyfl.net/cms/DEPT/countyadmin/arts/default.htm#Studies

Additional Resources

National Assembly of State Arts Agencies

National Endowment for the Arts

Cultural Initiatives Silicon Valley
A major research initiative to develop quantitative measures of cultural participation and creativity in the Silicon Valley region, in partnership with the City of San José Office of Cultural Affairs, Americans for the Arts and the Knight Foundation . The resulting publication of the Creative Community Index includes more than 30 indicators designed to gauge the health and vitality of cultural activities in our region and the importance of creativity to the vitality of Silicon Valley.

The Arts & Economic Prosperity Calculator is a free and simple tool that makes it possible for you to estimate the economic impact of your nonprofit arts organization.  Visit: http://www.artsusa.org/information_services/research/services/economic_impact/005.asp