The Arts finally Win!

This month , April, Americans for the Arts organization released the findings of their study into six creative industries: museums and collections; performing arts; visual arts and photography; film, radio, and TV; design and publishing; and arts schools and services. These creative industries range from nonprofit museums, symphonies, and theaters to for-profit film, architecture, and advertising companies.

The 50 most populated cities were studied combining Dun & Bradstreet data and geo-economic analysis to ascertain 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:

There are more than 612,000 arts-related businesses employ 2.98 million people in the U.S.

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.

“This study supports our mantra that the arts play a significant role in building and sustaining economically vibrant communities,” said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. “It further supports the need for arts education to fuel the creative industries with arts-trained workers and arts consumers.”

The ten states with the most creative industries, in descending order are no surprise really, NYC is first, then Los Angeles, followed by Chicago, Houston, San Francisco, San Diego, Dallas, Seattle, Austin, Phoenix. On a per capita basis, it changes it up since NYC and LA have such large populations. (Thank you to the Americans for the arts for this information.)


I think this is very good news for everyone! The arts have been pushed off the plates, along with music, in schools and on parents minds as a worthwhile college degree to pursue or business to work in. Perhaps the increase in employment opportunities will change some thinking. We can dream.