Non-Profit Arts Yields Annual $77.6 Million

Americans for the Arts announced at its National Conference in Las Vegas last week that the non-profit arts and cultures industry creates $166 billion in economic activity and 5.7 million jobs annually.

In Santa Barbara alone the non-profit arts and culture industry creates $77.6 million in local spending, $41.4 million of those dollars coming from event-related spending by the audiences and the remaining $36.2 million from event organizers. In addition, the non-profit arts and culture industry creates generates 2,288 fulltime jobs in the Santa Barbara area which adds up to $41.57 million in income and 7.62 million in local and State tax revenue.

After attending the Las Vegas conference, County Arts Commission Executive Director Ginny Brush noted the importance of this sector of Santa Barbara life. “These figures will do much to shift the perception of the arts viewed ‘as frills’ to acknowledge the vital economic role of the creative class plays in communities,” Brush said in a prepared statement.

Nationwide the non-profit arts and culture industry creates $104.2 billion in residential income which leads to $7.9 billion in local tax revenue, $9.1 billion in State tax revenue and $12.6 billion in Federal tax revenue.

The figures are the results of the most in-depth study of the arts and culture industry and its economic impact of the United States ever conducted. The study was conducted in 156 communities that reflect all 50 states and the District of Columbia in areas both urban and rural. Researchers gathered comprehensive attendance and expenditure data from 6,080 non-profit art and culture organizations.