Art and Culture Mean Big Business for Small Rural Communities
New study shows that art and culture events not only enhance rural living, they also bring visitors who spend about twice as much as the locals ($40.19 compared to $19.53) while they are in town
The nation’s nonprofit arts and culture communities provide a large source of revenue for their regions. Arts-based communities have seen revenue skyrocket over 24 percent from 2000 to 2005, according to a study done by Americans for the Arts. Many arts-based organizations also strive to make their communities more enjoyable places to live and, by doing so, have become economic drivers as well.
Even more significant, the study showed that arts-based community patrons spend much more than the event ticket or admission price. The typical patron across the nation spends an average of $27.79 in addition to the price of admission. These dollars go to such items as eating out prior to the event, paying the babysitter, hotel or motel costs, parking in garages that require a toll, etc.
There undoubtedly is also a direct impact on communities that participate in the arts and culture business. The study estimated that the average event attracted 61 percent local attendees and 39 percent from outside the community. What was interesting about these numbers is that the average local attendee spent $19.53 per person on the event, while the dollar figure for people from outside the community was $40.19. This makes the case for all our rural communities to look at their assets and use them to attract others to spend time in the community.
The report also showed that the arts and culture business is booming, whether it is urban or rural. The industry generates approximately $166 billion a year, which represents 5.7 million jobs and $30 billion in government revenue.
There is a common misconception that communities participating in the arts do so at the expense of local economic development. Nothing could be further from the truth. In this study, the organizations that were surveyed had budgets ranging from several million dollars per year to some in rural North Dakota with $0 for yearly budgets.
Creating an environment that holds the arts and culture at a premium can only enhance the livability of the area as well as the economic force that it is proving to create. Next month we will look at how arts and culture are defined in rural areas.
Contact: Michael L. Holton, michaellh@cfra.org or call 402.687.2100.
The nation’s nonprofit arts and culture communities provide a large source of revenue for their regions. Arts-based communities have seen revenue skyrocket over 24 percent from 2000 to 2005, according to a study done by Americans for the Arts. Many arts-based organizations also strive to make their communities more enjoyable places to live and, by doing so, have become economic drivers as well.
Even more significant, the study showed that arts-based community patrons spend much more than the event ticket or admission price. The typical patron across the nation spends an average of $27.79 in addition to the price of admission. These dollars go to such items as eating out prior to the event, paying the babysitter, hotel or motel costs, parking in garages that require a toll, etc.
There undoubtedly is also a direct impact on communities that participate in the arts and culture business. The study estimated that the average event attracted 61 percent local attendees and 39 percent from outside the community. What was interesting about these numbers is that the average local attendee spent $19.53 per person on the event, while the dollar figure for people from outside the community was $40.19. This makes the case for all our rural communities to look at their assets and use them to attract others to spend time in the community.
The report also showed that the arts and culture business is booming, whether it is urban or rural. The industry generates approximately $166 billion a year, which represents 5.7 million jobs and $30 billion in government revenue.
There is a common misconception that communities participating in the arts do so at the expense of local economic development. Nothing could be further from the truth. In this study, the organizations that were surveyed had budgets ranging from several million dollars per year to some in rural North Dakota with $0 for yearly budgets.
Creating an environment that holds the arts and culture at a premium can only enhance the livability of the area as well as the economic force that it is proving to create. Next month we will look at how arts and culture are defined in rural areas.
Contact: Michael L. Holton, michaellh@cfra.org or call 402.687.2100.
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Comments
Arts in rural west central Georgia
Break down non-resident spending by urban vs rural
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