I received an interesting email from the Missoula Cultural Council this week and thought that it is definitely worth sharing. After reading it, I’d be interested in people’s thoughts on the subject of art as a product vs. art for art’s sake. Please share in the comments.

STUDY SHOWS $34 MILLION IN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AND

1174 JOBS ARE GENERATED ANNUALLY BY

THE NONPROFIT ARTS AND CULTURE INDUSTRY IN MISSOULA

JUNE 6, 2007 – The Missoula Cultural Council announced today the results of the economic impact of the nonprofit arts industry in Missoula. 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 and Economic Prosperity III, the study was conducted in 156 communities and regions (116 cities and counties, 35 multi-county regions, and 5 states) including Missoula. The Missoula Cultural Council helped to facilitate the gathering of the detailed economic data from 21 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 Missoula’s nonprofit arts industry generates $34 million in economic activity annually, including:

• 1174 full-time equivalent jobs
• $20 million in resident household income
• $1.5 million in local government tax revenues
• $1.2 million in state government tax revenues

“This study clearly shows what the arts and cultural community have known for years: that the arts industry in Missoula contributes mightily to the local economy,” said Tom Bensen, MCC’s Executive Director.

The $34 million total includes $12 million in spending by arts organizations and $22 million in event-related spending by arts audiences, excluding the cost of admission. This reflects an average of $25.88 per person in spending for hotels, restaurants, parking, souvenirs, refreshments, or other similar costs—with non-local attendees spending more than three times as much as local attendees ($53.06 compared to $16.78).

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

The full report, including both the national as well as the Missoula data, is available at www.missoulacultural.org