Arts Fund Study Shows Huge Economic Impact of Cultural Events and Organizations

Theater, Zoos, Historical Museums, Science Centers, Ballet, Opera, Symphony

These are just a few of the types of organizations that bring enormous economic benefit to our region, says a study just released by a group called the Arts Fund.

The nearly 360 organizations in the study supported some 32,520 jobs and $882 million in labor income, according to the economic-impact study prepared by University of Washington Professor William Beyers.

Music and Gallery Art go together in Pioneer Square

The Seattle Times has the story today.

Ronald School has benefitted from
funding from 4Culture and City's of Shoreline
and LFP

 Many local organizations receive funding from 4Culture and other funding sources, such as
State, County and Local governments. These funds are invested in many ways that benefit our economies. Arts groups spend money locally on supplies, expertise from artists, musicians, writers, and so many other arts experts and equipment to make their organizations work. Shoreline - Lake Forest Park
Arts Council is just one of so many organizations that benefit from this funding, and then help generate economic value for the region.

The study was funded by the University of Washington.
Geography Professor Bill Beyers’ continuing studies of the economic impact of arts in the Puget Sound region was recently featured on KUOW radio.  
http://depts.washington.edu/geog/2011/01/arts-communitys-economic-impact-bill-beyers-latest-study/

Shoreline-LFP Arts Festival
hands on kids arts

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013931477_arts14m.html

ArtsFund study shows economic impact of Northwest cultural organizations

The Puget Sound area's arts, cultural and scientific organizations generated $1.9 billion in business activity in 2009, according to a study released Friday by ArtsFund.

By Janet I. Tu

Seattle Times staff reporter

The Puget Sound area's arts, cultural and scientific organizations generated $1.9 billion in business activity in 2009, according to a study released Friday by ArtsFund.

The nearly 360 organizations in the study supported some 32,520 jobs and $882 million in labor income, according to the economic-impact study prepared by University of Washington Professor William Beyers. The study also includes data from some 3,000 patrons.

Previous studies were conducted in 2003, 1997 and 1992.

It's difficult to compare some of the newest numbers to earlier ones because the latest study includes organizations such as zoos and science centers, which were not part of previous studies. The latest report also covers more counties than in the past — King, Pierce, Snohomish and Kitsap.

The new results show spending by patrons of $712 million, with tickets accounting for $222 million. The rest was spent on services such as dining, transportation and lodging.

Total income for the organizations was about $488 million during that time, with expenses of $482 million.

"New money" — that spent by tourists or from foundations or groups outside the area — accounted for 17 percent of the groups' revenues.

The study shows "the impacts of cultural organizations and their patrons is significant in the region," said Dwight Gee, executive vice president at ArtsFund, who oversaw the study.

In areas where comparisons can be made to earlier research — primarily in King County — there are both heartening and worrisome trends.

There was growth in the overall economic impact of cultural organizations in King County: from $1.1 billion in 2003 to $1.4 billion in 2009.

And the impact of "new money" has increased in the areas of both employment and sales.

But among the worrisome trends was a drop in attendance — about 2 percent — from the 2003 study. Patrons attending on season tickets or memberships dropped by more than 15 percent and those attending on single tickets or admissions declined more than 5 percent. (Free and student-admission discount tickets, though, climbed by 22 percent each.)