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Impact of the Arts
Like reminding the residents of Newcastle that coal was important to their livelihoods, the Sarasota Arts Council last week unveiled results of an economic impact study showing the monetary effects of the not-for-profit arts industry on Sarasota's economy.
The accompanying tables provide visual details of what Randy Cohen, vice president of the Washington-based advocacy group, Americans for the Arts, told a gathering of Sarasota arts and business leaders April 12 at the Sarasota Arts Council headquarters on North Tamiami Trail.
As indicated in the top table at left, the non-profit arts industry in Sarasota County generated $123 million in definable economic activity in fiscal 2002 and employed nearly 3,000 people. That arts employment ranks Sarasota 14th among 91 communities studied in nonprofit arts employment.
Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology School of Economics arrived at these figures in a national study that measured the economic effects of the nonprofit arts organizations in 91 communities in 34 states; 40,000 arts attendees also were interviewed. In Sarasota, researchers interviewed 68 nonprofit arts organizations and received detailed budget information on more than 40 expense categories from 43 of the groups. Researchers also interviewed 510 event attendees in fiscal 2003-04.
According to the Americans for the Arts' "Arts & Economic Prosperity" report, researchers interviewed attendees by handing out written surveys while the patrons attended an event. The organization said the researchers sampled people at diverse events, ranging from museum exhibitions and arts festivals to opera performances and children's theater productions.
Researchers then analyzed the information by using what economists call the input/output method, a practice that, according to the Americans for the Arts, has "been the basis for two Nobel Prize awards in economics."
"An input-output model is a system of mathematical equations that ... traces how many times a dollar is re-spent with the local economy and the economic impact of each of those rounds of spending," said the Americans for the Arts report.
In addition, the Sarasota Arts Council presented a community report card on the performing arts based on a study by the Urban Institute. The results of that study are depicted on page 5.
The institute surveyed more than 800 households in Sarasota and Manatee counties in late 2002. Commissioned by the Performings Arts Research Coalition and Pew Charitable Trust, the survey determined "the frequency and pattern of attendance at performing arts venues and attitudes toward the value of the performing arts."
One of the key findings - albeit not surprising - in the institute's study of Sarasota was that the arts have a deep penetration in the community. Of those interviewed by the institute, 71% had attended a performing arts event in the past 12 months.
The Americans for the Arts of Sarasota was funded by the Sarasota Arts Council, the Sarasota-based Goldsmith-Greenfield Foundation Inc. and Northern Trust Bank. For a copy of the study, call (941) 365-5118. For a copy of the Urban Institute study, call (202) 293-4466.
HOW SARASOTA COMPARES - TOTAL IMPACT
Population of
Sarasota250,000 toNational
County499,999Average
Total Expenditures$122,903,103$77,523,099$75,089,990
Full-Time Equivalent Jobs2,9562,4852,387
Resident Household Income$83,642,000$54,460,500$51,914,667
Local Government Revenue$5,570,000$3,016,417$2,835,240
State Government Revenue$9,022,000$4,735,250$4,534,449
SPENDING BY NONPROFIT ARTS ORGANIZATIONS
Population of
Sarasota250,000 toNational
County499,999Average
Total Expenditures$68,632,361$30,035,916$35,370,346
Full-Time Equivalent Jobs1,8609931,008
Resident Household Income$54,494,000$25,594,692$27,734,011
Local Government Revenue$2,265,000$896,231$1,408,780
State Government Revenue$3,226,000$1,552,231$1,421,099
IMPACT OF ARTS AUDIENCES' SPENDING
Population of
Sarasota250,000 toNational
County499,999Average
Total Expenditures$54,270,742$45,489,122$41,404,149
Full-Time Equivalent Jobs1,0961,4961,380
Resident Household Income$29,148,000$27,213,833$24,849,040
Local Government Revenue$3,305,000$2,061,667$1,761,653
State Government Revenue$5,796,000$3,083,583$3,006,649
EVENT-RELATED SPENDING BY ARTS AUDIENCES
ResidentNon-residentAll Sarasota
AttendeesAttendees Attendees
Attendance, Nonprofit Events991,600602,1401,593,740
Percentage of Attendees62.2%37.8%100%
Avg. dollars spent*$22.99$52.27$34.29
Total Event-Related Spending$22,796,884$31,473,858$54,270,742
* Does not include price of admission
HOW ARTS ATTENDEES SPEND THEIR MONEY
ResidentNon-residentAll Sarasota
AttendeesAttendees Attendees
Refreshments during event$2.51$2.73$2.59
Meals before/after event$10.78$16.89$13.15
Souvenirs, gifts$1.42$2.39$1.79
Clothing/accessories$5.07$3.78$4.57
Ground transportation$1.26$5.13$2.75
Event-related child care$0.10$3.19$1.29
Overnight lodging$1.04$13.88$6.00
Other$0.81$4.28$2.15
Avg. event spending per person$22.99$52.27$34.29
Seven out of 10 attend the arts
More than seven out of 10 respondents (71%) attended a live, professional performing arts presentation in the past 12 months.
× Attending one to five performances: 36%
× Attending six to nine performances: 15%
× Attending 10 or more performances: 20%
Arts attendees are big volunteers
× 79% of all arts attendees volunteer in the community.
× 75% of arts attendees vote frequently
All income levels attend the arts
× Of those surveyed who had incomes of $25,000 or less, 53% said they attend arts performances.
× Of those surveyed who had incomes of $100,000 or more, 88% said they attend arts performances.
Arts infuence relocation
43% of the respondents said the arts played a part in their decision to move to Sarasota.
× 12% said the arts were a major influence in their relocation decision.
All education levels attend the arts
× Of those surveyed who had finished college or graduate studies, 83% were arts attendees.
× Of those surveyed who had a high school degree or less, 56% were arts attendees.
All ages attend the arts
× Ages 25-34: 66% attendance (19,250 of 29,170 population)
× Ages 35-54: 71% attendance (59,160 of 83,232 populaton)
× Ages 55 and older: 72% attendance (103,860 of 144,250 population)
How other leisure activities compare
× Professional sports attendance: 43%
× Museums and galleries attendance: 63%
× Movies attendance: 78%
× Performing arts attendance: 71%
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