Bloomington's Nonprofit Arts and Culture Industry Stimulates Local Economy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 21, 2012

For more information, please contact:

Miah Michaelsen, Assistant Economic Development Director for the Arts, City of Bloomington, 349.3534

Bloomington's Nonprofit Arts and Culture Industry Stimulates Local Economy

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The nonprofit arts and culture industry generates $72,276,722 in annual economic activity in the city of Bloomington-supporting 3,430 full-time equivalent jobs and generating $6,288,000 in local and state government revenues, according to the Arts & Economic Prosperity IV national economic impact study. The most comprehensive economic impact study of the nonprofit arts and culture industry ever conducted in the United States, Arts & Economic Prosperity IV was conducted by Americans for the Arts, the nation's leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education.

According to the study, nonprofit arts and culture organizations spent $52,300,406 during fiscal year 2010. This spending is far-reaching: organizations pay employees, purchase supplies, contract for services and acquire assets within their community. Those dollars, in turn, generated $49,313,000 in household income for local residents and $4,049,000 in local and state government revenues.

"The results of this study bear out the strong linkages between arts and economic vitality here in Bloomington," said Mayor Mark Kruzan. "Arts activity enriches us socially and culturally, but the study shows that it also enhances our economy in measurable and meaningful ways."

Miah Michaelsen, Assistant Economic Development Director for the Arts for the City of Bloomington, also noted that the arts contribute to the community's high quality of life and its economic progress.

"The arts strengthen our local economy by helping to diversify it," Michaelsen said. "More than 40 local arts organizations and more than 1,300 audience members assisted in quantifying the arts and cultural sector's impact and contribution to our community during this study. We're grateful to them and to Ivy Tech Community College - Bloomington for helping gather this important data."

Nationally, the Arts & Economic Prosperity IV study reveals that the nonprofit arts industry produced $135.2 billion in economic activity during 2010. This spending - $61.1 billion by nonprofit arts and culture organizations plus an additional $74.1 billion by their audiences - supported 4.1 million full-time equivalent jobs and generated $22.3 billion in federal, state and local tax revenues.

"This study shines a much-needed light on the vital role the arts play in stimulating and sustaining economic development," says Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. "Contrary to popular belief, the arts are a bustling industry that supports a plethora of diverse jobs, generates significant revenues for local businesses and to federal, state and local governments and provides quality of life that positions communities to compete in our 21st century creative economy."

Arts Industry Boon for Local Businesses
In addition to spending by organizations, the nonprofit arts and culture industry leverages $19,976,316 in event-related spending by its audiences. As a result of attending a cultural event, attendees often eat dinner in local restaurants, pay for parking, buy gifts and souvenirs, and pay a babysitter. What's more, attendees from out of town often stay overnight in a local hotel. In Bloomington, these dollars support 651 full-time equivalent jobs and generate $2,239,000 in local and state government revenues.

This is the second time the city of Bloomington has participated in an Arts & Economic Prosperity study. Results from the study published in 2003, which was facilitated by the Bloomington Area Arts Council, indicated that the nonprofit arts sector generated $44.5 million in local economic activity.

The Arts & Economic Prosperity IV study was conducted by Americans for the Arts and supported by The Ruth Lilly Fund of Americans for the Arts. Americans for the Arts' local, regional and statewide project partners contributed both time and financial support to the study. The full text of the national statistical report is available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org/EconomicImpact. The Bloomington report is available at www.bloomington.in.gov/arts.

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