[FAC] Fresno County Cultural Arts Economic Impact Study Results in

[Cynthia Cooper]

Study Shows $119,700,000 In Economic Activity And
2,725 Jobs Are Generated Annually By
The Nonprofit Arts And Culture Industry In Fresno County
 
Revealing the Nonprofit Arts Industry as a Formidable Business and Economic
Driver for Fresno County
 
FRESNO, CALIFORNIA ‹ October 17, 2008 ‹ FRESNO COALITION FOR ARTS, SCIENCE &
HISTORY (FCASH) announced today the results of the economic impact of the
nonprofit arts industry in Fresno County.  These local results were compiled
as part of the most comprehensive economic impact study of the nonprofit
arts and culture industry ever conducted in the United States. Entitled Arts
& Economic Prosperity III, the study was conducted in 156 communities and
regions (116 cities and counties, 35 multi-county regions, and 5 states)
including Fresno County.  FCASH helped to facilitate the gathering of the
detailed economic data from 69 arts organizations that were among 6,080
local arts organizations surveyed nationwide. Americans for the Arts, which
conducted the national study, is the leading nonprofit organization for
advancing the arts in America.
 
The local data reveals that Fresno County¹s nonprofit arts industry
generates $119,700,000 in economic activity annually, including:
 
* 2,725 full-time equivalent jobs
* $61,300,000 in resident household income
* $3,704,000 in local government tax revenues
* $7,683,000 in state government tax revenues
 
Cynthia Cooper, Executive Director of the Fresno Coalition for Arts, Science
& History, said the organization took a giant leap this year, requesting and
receiving support from city and county entities and the Regional Foundation
to conduct this overdue study. It definitely shows that Fresno County¹s
nonprofit cultural arts institutions both create jobs and economically
impact the community in direct and indirect ways at a significant level
compared with other areas nationwide.  It also shows the cultural arts have
so much more growth potential in impacting our community.
 
The $119,700,000 total includes $55,200,000 in spending by arts
organizations and $64,500,000 in event-related spending by arts audiences,
excluding the cost of admission.  The $64,500,000 in event-related spending
by arts audiences reflects an average of $30.21 per person in spending for
hotels, restaurants, parking, souvenirs, refreshments, or other similar
costs‹with non-local attendees spending nearly twice as much as local
attendees ($28.82 compared to $49.30.  This compares Fresno County favorably
to Montgomery County, Maryland, nationally or to Santa Cruz and Santa Clara
counties in California.
 
Nationally, according to Americans for the Arts report, the nonprofit arts
industry generates 5.7 million jobs and $166.2 billion in total economic
activity every year, resulting in $29.6 billion in federal, state, and local
government revenues.  The $166.2 billion total includes $63.1 billion in
spending by arts organizations and $103.1 billion in event-related spending
by their audiences.  The total economic activity has a significant national
impact, generating the following:
 
* 5.7 million full-time equivalent jobs
* $104.2 billion in resident household income
* $7.9 billion in local government tax revenues
* $9.1 billion in state government tax revenues
* $12.6 billion in federal government tax revenues
 
³This study is a myth buster,² said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of
Americans for the Arts. ³Most Americans understand that the arts improve our
quality of life. This study demonstrates that the arts are an industry that
stimulates the economy in cities and towns across the country. A vibrant
arts and culture industry helps local businesses thrive.²
 
The nation¹s nonprofit arts and culture industry has grown steadily since
the first analysis by Americans for the Arts in 1992, expanding at a rate
greater than inflation. Between the second study conducted in 2000 and 2005,
spending by organizations and their audiences grew 24 percent, from $134
billion to $166.2 billion in total economic activity.
 
The Arts & Economic Prosperity III study shows that nonprofits arts support
more jobs than accountants and auditors, public safety officers, and even
lawyers, and just slightly fewer than elementary school teachers. Spending
by nonprofit arts and culture organizations provide rewarding employment for
more than just artists, curators, and musicians but they also directly
support builders, plumbers, accountants, printers, and an array of
occupations.
 
In addition, the study reveals that the nonprofit arts industry is the
cornerstone of tourism. The $103.1 billion in event-related spending by arts
audiences reflects an average of $27.79 per person in spending for hotels,
restaurants, parking, souvenirs, refreshments, or other similar costs‹with
non-local attendees spending twice as much as local attendees ($40.19 vs.
$19.53). When a community attracts cultural tourists, it harnesses
significant economic rewards.
 
The results of the economic impact of the arts for each of the 116 city and
county participants, as well as comparative data for the 24 communities that
participated in both the 2002 and current study are available at
www.AmericansForTheArts.org/EconomicImpact.

The Arts & Economic Prosperity III study was conducted by Americans for the
Arts and supported by the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, the John D. and
Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and The Ruth Lilly Fund of Americans for
the Arts. Americans for the Arts¹ local and statewide project partners
contributed both time and financial support to the study. The full text of
the national and Fresno reports are available at http://www.fcash.org.
 
The FCASH Study under the Americans for the Arts, was supported through a
grant from the Fresno Regional Foundation and funds from the County Library
(through a grant from the Indian Gaming Commission, the City of Fresno, the
City of Clovis, and contributed volunteer efforts in gathering the data. For
more detailed information, contact Cynthia Cooper, cc at fcash.org. or
www.fcash.org.

Cynthia Cooper
Executive Director
Fresno Coalition for Arts, Science & History
1401 Fulton Street, S-904, Fresno, CA 93721
559 286 8282 cell  
559 485 1100 office
ccooper at fcash.org email
http://www.fcash.org  web

2008 Cultural Arts Conference ­ Friday, October 17th
Keynote speaker: John King, Tribal Leadership Co-author and CultureSync
partner
Morning presenter: John McGuirk, Program Director, the James Irvine
Foundation

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