CEDAR CITY ARTS COUNCIL JOINS AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS' NATIONAL STUDY OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF SPENDING BY NONPROFIT ARTS AND CULTURE ORGANIZATIONS AN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 02/26/2011
Raymond Inkel
Cedar City Arts Council
435-865-8264
president@cedarcityartscouncil.org
 

 

THE CEDAR CITY ARTS COUNCIL JOINS AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS' NATIONAL STUDY OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF SPENDING BY NONPROFIT ARTS AND CULTURE ORGANIZATIONS AND THEIR AUDIENCES
 

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Cedar City, Utah -- The Cedar City Arts Council today announced it has joined Arts & Economic Prosperity IVTM. The research study, which is being conducted by Americans for the Arts, America's leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts, will evaluate the impact spending by nonprofit arts organizations and their audiences have on their local economies. As one of 200 study partners across all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, the Cedar City Arts Council will facilitate the gathering of detailed economic and event attendance data from nonprofit arts and culture organizations located throughout Iron County. In addition, the Cedar City arts Council will collaborate with the community's other arts organizations to collect surveys from at least 800 arts and culture attendees in Iron County during 2011. Arts & Economic Prosperity IV will allow us to evaluate the impact of the recession on the employment and government revenues that are generated by the nonprofit arts industry. We expect that the findings will demonstrate that the arts remain a formidable industry in spite of our country's recent economic challenges.

 

Customized findings for Iron County will demonstrate the impact of spending by nonprofit arts and culture organizations and their audiences on the economy. Specifically, the study's results will include:

 The total dollars spent by Iron County's nonprofit arts and culture spending
The total dollars spent by audiences as a direct result of their attendance at arts and culture events in Iron County.
 The number of full-time equivalent jobs supported by arts spending.
The amount of resident, household income -- including salaries and wages -- generated by arts spending.
 The amount of local and state government tax revenues generated by arts spending.
"Festival City supports the Arts and these economic studies impress upon our leaders and businesses that the arts are important to the economic health of the county." said Raymond Inkel, President of The Cedar Arts Council. "With over 625 arts and cultural events a year, arts are part of our everyday living."

 

According to Americans for the Arts most recent national study, the national nonprofit arts industry generated 5.7 million jobs and $166.2 billion in total economic activity during 2006, resulting in $29.6 billion in federal, state and local government revenues. The $166.2 billion total included $64.1 billion in spending by arts organizations and $103.1 billion in event-related spending by their audiences on items such as meals, local transportation and overnight lodging. Complete details about the 2005 study are available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org/EconomicImpact .

 

The 2006 Americans for the Arts study showed that in Iron County, the total Economic Impact of the Arts in Iron County was over $22 million, which provided 538 full-time equivalent jobs and $819,000 in local government revenue. Nonresident audience spending for 2006 was $12.0 million, with the average of $92.04 spent by each visitor to Iron County.

 

"Our Arts & Economic Prosperity studies demonstrate that the arts are a formidable industry that stimulates the economy in cities and towns across the country," said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. "A vibrant arts and culture industry helps local businesses thrive. Still, much has changed since our last study as a result of the economic downturn. Arts & Economic Prosperity IV will allow us to evaluate the impact the recession has had on employment and government revenues that are generated by the nonprofit arts industry."

 

Americans for the Arts' Arts & Economic Prosperity IV study is supported by The Ruth Lilly Fund of Americans for the Arts. In addition, Americans for the Arts' local and statewide project partners are contributing both time and financial support to the study.

 

The Cedar City Arts Council is an organization that supports local artists in the folk, literary, visual, and performing arts in Cedar City and the surrounding area. By speaking with a collective voice, we seek to have a greater impact on the development of the arts in our community than we would otherwise have.    For more information about the Cedar City Arts Council, contact Raymond Inkel at (435) 865-8264, or by e-mail at president@cedarcityartscouncil.org.