The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) published Artists in the Workforce: 1990-2005, the first nationwide look at artists’ demographic and employment patterns in the 21st century. Artists in the Workforce analyzes working artist trends, gathering new statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau to provide a comprehensive overview of this workforce segment, its maturation over the past 30 years, and detailed information on specific artist occupations.
Economic Impact
Promoting Film and Media to Enhance State Economic Development
This issue brief from the National Governors’ Association shows how states can foster thriving film, television and media arts industries. As governors continue exploring innovative strategies to grow their economies, states are increasingly looking to film, television and related media arts productions as a means of attracting high-paying jobs and related high-tech businesses. This brief summarizes the economic benefits of film production and includes examples of policies, incentives and special initiatives that states have used to attract film activity and cultivate local film and media arts assets. See press release. See issue brief. This is one of a series of issue briefson the economic importance of the arts.
The Role of the Arts in Economic Development
The $37 billion nonprofit arts industry is a potent force in economic development nationwide, according to an issue brief released by the National Governors’ Association (NGA). Blending summaries of economic impact studies, federal and state statistics and best practices, the policy brief details how governors and other state leaders can use the arts to unite communities, create economic opportunity and improve the quality of life. This report on the arts was prepared by the NGA’s Center for Best Practices, whose role is to provide governors with innovative ideas and examples of excellence in state government. This is one of a series of issue briefs on the economic importance of the arts.
Arts Help States Reap Rural Economic Gains
From Southern Appalachia to the Mississippi Delta and from California’s coast to Maryland’s eastern shore, states are turning to arts-based economic development strategies to revive rural economies stung by geographic isolation, infrastructure deficiencies and the flight of skilled workers to big cities, according to an issue brief from the National Governors’ Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center). Incorporating the arts into states’ existing rural economic development policy helps not only to diversify rural economies but to provide these previously struggling communities with a competitive advantage in the 21st century’s global marketplace as well. The brief, Strengthening Rural Economies through the Arts, documents how states utilize a variety of arts-focused policies to create jobs and improve quality of life. This is one of a series of issue briefs on the economic importance of the arts.
Arts Help Governors Achieve Global Trade and Tourism Goals
This issue brief illustrates how states are expanding international trade opportunities through culture. Case studies demonstrate ways that the arts encourage tourism, strengthen business networks, build “brand identity” and position states for success in a global marketplace. As new international trade and investment treaty negotiations by the federal government progress, governors will be called upon to promote their states’ businesses in a tight budget environment. Several states–looking for a greater edge in an increasingly competitive marketplace–are incorporating arts and cultural exchanges in their international trade and business development approaches. This aspect of state-level diplomacy undergirds and complements more traditional trade promotion efforts that focus on generating immediate exports. This is one of a series of issue briefs on the economic importance of the arts.
Creative Industries 2012: The State Report
Americans for the Arts (AFTA) released in May 2012 Creative Industries 2012: The State Report, which presents a detailed analysis of arts-related businesses, institutions, and organizations in the country’s 50 states plus the District of Columbia. The study reveals that arts-centric businesses represent 4.3 percent of all businesses and 2.2 percent of all jobs in the United States and that the arts are a robust and formidable economic growth sector.
California had the most number of arts businesses (98,949) and the sixth number of arts employees (500,891). California also had the largest amount of growth in arts businesses (14.35%) and arts employees (17.52%) from 2007 to 2008.
Other highlights of the national study include:
* More than 612,000 arts-related businesses employ 2.98 million people nationwide.
* Arts-centric businesses grew 12 percent from 2007 compared to the growth of 10.7 percent for all U.S. businesses.
* Employment growth by arts-centric businesses since 2007 was 11.6 percent, more than four times the rise in the total number of U.S. employees of 2.4 percent.
The creative industries range from nonprofit museums, symphonies, and theaters to for-profit film, architecture, and advertising companies. The study tracks and maps the presence of these arts-related entities in six creative industries: museums and collections; performing arts; visual arts and photography; film, radio, and TV; design and publishing; and arts schools and services.
