| The Findings of a 2006 study documented in unprecedented scope and detail the annual economic impact of Minnesota’s nonprofit arts and culture industry. Twelve studies were produced, including eleven regional and one statewide report, which explored arts and culture’s critical role in strengthening Minnesota’s economy. To see the Regional Reports, click on the map below. In 2007, two new reports based on this data have also recently been released on the City of St. Paul and the City of Minneapolis. More recently, the St. Croix Valley and Fargo Moorhead areas released regional studies as well.
By All Measures, the results were impressive: This research demonstrates that the arts are a powerful economic development tool. How can we harness this energy?Include the arts in your community’s tourism strategy. Every region of the state, no matter how rural, had over $1 million in annual economic impact in 2004. Non-resident tourist attendees to the arts and culture spend more than locals; an average of $44.82 per person per event, excluding the cost of the ticket.Include the arts in your region’s economic development toolbox. Arts and culture generate jobs – 22,095 full time jobs were created by the arts and culture in Minnesota in 2004.Take advantage of the arts’ competitive edge. The Seven County Metro Area’s nonprofit arts and culture industry is 2 1/2 times larger than similar population centers studied around the country such as Houston, TX and San Diego, CA.Increase public funding for arts and culture in Minnesota as an economic development strategy. Minnesota’s arts and culture industry provides a return on investment of over $11 to $1. Increased funding for the arts and culture makes good sense. Regional Data: Click on your regional arts council district to find the economic impact of the arts and culture in your area:
Statewide Highlights: Minnesota’s eleven regions vary quite a bit in overall population, population density, geographic spread and major industries. But what they share is a diverse and growing non-profit arts industry that has a major impact on the economic health in every area. The Seven County Metro Area is home to 54% of the state’s population and its arts and culture economy is robust. Minnesota’s internationally recognized, world-class arts and culture organizations headquarter here but their performances, activities and services take place throughout Minnesota, the nation and the world. The region has arts organizations of all sizes, from professional to avocational, from formal to informal. Given the countless organizations and arts activities it is not a surprise that the Twin Cities cultural industry is such a strong economic contributor to the region, and is a major driver in the state’s economy. Compared to other population centers studied across the country, the Seven County Metro Area’s $719.5 million arts and culture economy is 2 1/2 times the size of the average of $277 million per year of other areas such as Houston, TX and San Diego, CA. However, new in this report is data on the strength of the nonprofit arts and culture industry in regional population centers such as the Arrowhead (Duluth), Southeast Minnesota (Rochester), the Lakes Region(Fargo-Moorhead) and Central Minnesota (St.Cloud), which have the second through fifth largest arts economies in the state. The nonprofit arts and culture industry is bringing new people to these regions, giving energy to thriving tourism industries, and are important economic drivers in the regional economies. Also new in this report is data on the smaller regional centers, and the most rural and least populated areas of the state, where many regions are finding new energy and success in using the arts and culture to revitalize their downtowns and to increase tourism. In East Central (Mora/Cambridge), North Central (Bemidji), Northwest Minnesota (Crookston), and other regions, for example, tourists are exceeding the state average in non-resident per capita spending at arts events. These areas show a high potential for using their arts and culture resources to increase tourism revenue by making the region more attractive to a broader range of visitors. From Minnesota’s population centers to small towns to rural areas, the nonprofit arts and culture are clearly a driver in every region’s economy. In total, nonprofit arts and culture are an $838.5 million industry in the state of Minnesota – one that supports 22,095 full-time jobs and generates $94.1 million in local and state government revenue. The Arts: A Driving Force in Minnesota’s Economy demonstrates that the arts and culture should be an essential piece of every communities’ economic development toolbox. Study Partners: This 2006 project is a collaboration of the Forum of Regional Arts Councils of Minnesota (RAC Forum) and Minnesota Citizens for the Arts (MCA) www.mtn.org/mca, principle partners, with major funding provided by TheMcKnight Foundation. Additional partners include the Twin Cities Performing Arts Research Coalition (PARC) project funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts, and Minnesota Arts Communicators. Twelve studies were conducted statewide. The year-long study was managed by MCA, while each of the state’s eleven regional arts councils coordinated audience surveys and will host the data release events in their own regions. Americans for the Arts, the study’s national partner, created the economic models for the twelve studies, one for each region and one for the statewide study, and also provided secure web-based surveying tools.The 2007 St. Paul and Minneapolis City Reports were created from data collected for the previous 12 studies. The re-analysis was sponsored by the St. Paul Arts and Culture Partnership and by the City of Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development Planning Division. The City of Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development Planning Division promotes and advances the City’s planning and community development goals through strategic partnerships and responsible management of resources. The Planning Division provides staff support for the Minneapolis Arts Commission whose goal is to strengthen the arts and enrich cultural life in Minneapolis, and the Arts and Culture Coordinating Committee whose goal is to implement the Minneapolis Plan for Arts and Culture. Minnesota Citizens for the Arts is a statewide arts advocacy organization whose mission is to ensure opportunity for all people to have access to and involvement in the arts. MCA organizes the arts community and lobbies the Minnesota State Legislature and Congress on issues pertaining to the nonprofit arts and conducts original research. MCA works with over 32,000 arts advocates in Minnesota. For more information on MCA, this project or other statistics about the arts in Minnesota, please contact MCA Executive Director Sheila Smith at 651-251-0868, by email at mca@mtn.org, or view MCA’s website: www.mtn.org/mca. The Forum of Regional Arts Councils of Minnesota serves as the voice of and advocate for small arts organizations and community-based arts activities throughout Minnesota by working in partnership with the Minnesota State Arts Board, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts and others. The Forum’s Chair is Mary Minnick-Daniels in Mora, 320-679-4065 extension 30 / ecac@ecrdc.org. For a list of participating organizations, please refer to the full Statewide report. |
Downloads: Statewide Report Statewide Press Release Statewide Profile Statewide Summary Statewide One-Pager Statewide Audience Demographics |
