Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 – Equity in Arts Boosts Community Livability Study
The ArtPride New Jersey Foundation today announced that New Jersey’s culture industry generated $532.2 million in economic activity in 2022, according to the newly released Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6), an economic and social impact study conducted by Americans for the Arts. That economic activity–$338.4 million in spending by nonprofit arts and culture organizations and $193.8 million in event-related spending by their audiences supported nearly 10,000 jobs and generated $116.9 million in local, state, and federal government revenue.
Building on its 30-year legacy as the largest and most inclusive study of its kind, AEP6 uses a rigorous methodology to document the economic and social contributions of the nation’s nonprofit arts and culture industry. The study demonstrates locally as well as nationally, arts and culture are a critical economic driver of vibrant communities.
ArtPride New Jersey Board of Trustees Chair, Paul McRae, states, “Spending by New Jersey’s arts and culture organizations and their patrons create an economy that drives downtowns and brings people together to celebrate all that we have in common. Throughout the pandemic to now, the arts in New Jersey remind us of our shared values, offer incomparable emotional and mental health benefits, and at the same time provide an economic boost to municipalities and our state.”
Nationally, the Arts & Economic Prosperity6 (AEP6)study reveals that America’s nonprofit arts and culture sector is a $151.7 billion industry—one that supports 2.6 million jobs and generates $29.1 billion in government revenue.
“Arts and culture organizations employ people locally, purchase goods and services from nearby businesses, and produce the authentic cultural experiences that are magnets for visitors, tourists, and residents,” said Adam Perle, president and CEO of ArtPride New Jersey. “ArtPride New Jersey took the lead on this statewide study and recruited thirteen local partners that can now reveal economic data on arts and culture specific to their location. Beyond that, AEP6 prioritized equity, community engagement, and inclusivity by reaching out to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and ALAANA (African, LatinX, Asian, Arab and Native American) organizations and audiences, reminding us that the arts benefit everyone.”
The twelve local partners in New Jersey that participated in AEP6 include Bergen County, Camden County, Cumberland County, Essex County, Hudson County, Hunterdon County, Jersey City, Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Ocean County, Somerset County, and Union County. Information regarding the full statewide study and those of the local partners is available on the ArtPride New Jersey website, https://info.artpridenj.org/e/
Key figures from New Jersey’s AEP6 study include:
- New Jersey’s nonprofit arts and culture industry generates $ 93,812,201 in event-related spending by its audiences.
- The typical attendee spends $32.68 per person per event, not including the cost of admission. Attendees from outside the county in which the activity took place spent an average of $50.04, figures vital to local merchants and businesses.
- 87.2% of survey respondents agreed that the activity or venue they were attending was “a source of neighborhood pride for the community.”
- 84.8% said they would “feel a sense of loss if that activity or venue was no longer available.”
Sponsors of the AEP6 Study:
This study would not be made possible without the support of surrounding arts organizations, survey respondents, the sponsorship of the Morris County Economic Development Corporation, and active partners including the Morris County Economic Development Alliance and Morris County Tourism Bureau.
Article courtesy of ArtPride New Jersey.