Florida Department of State Highlights $4.68 Billion Economic Impact of Arts and Culture in Florida

Arts & Economic Prosperity Report shows nonprofit arts and culture is a significant industry in the state of Florida

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. –

Americans for the Arts, a national nonprofit organization for advancing arts in America, released the Arts and Economic Prosperity 5 report, which highlights the significant impact of nonprofit arts and cultural organizations and their audiences in the state of Florida. According to the report, the nonprofit arts and culture industry in Florida generates $4.68 billion in total economic activity, supports 132,366 full-time jobs and delivers $492.3 million in local and state government revenue.

“At the Florida Department of State, we believe that Culture Builds Florida, and this report sends a strong signal that supporting the arts and culture industry helps to build Florida’s economy and strengthen our state’s identity as the best place to live, work and play in the United States,” said Secretary of State Ken Detzner. “Thanks to the support of Governor Rick Scott and the Florida Legislature, the department provides funding, programs and resources, including grants, to help promote and grow Florida’s arts and cultural industry at the local and state level, and we encourage arts and cultural organizations to reach out to us so we can be of service.”

Other highlights of the report include:

• Spending by nonprofit arts and cultural organizations totaled $2.29 billion in Florida during fiscal year 2015. This spending supports jobs, generates household income for families and supports local businesses.
• During 2015, a total of 121,264 volunteers donated a total of 6,522,918 hours to nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in Florida. This represents an estimated value of $153,679,948 in donated time.
• Nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in Florida reported receiving in-kind contributions worth an estimated $71,073,471 in 2015.
• The nonprofit arts and culture industry leverages a significant amount of event-related spending by its audiences. To measure this impact, 35,967 event attendees were surveyed and they reported a total of $2.39 billion in event-related spending, such as eating at a restaurant, shopping in near-by stores or staying in a hotel.
• In Florida, researchers estimate that 84.8 percent of the 70 million nonprofit arts attendees were residents and 15.2 percent were nonresidents. Nonresident attendees spent an average of 93 percent more per person than local attendees, which highlights the importance of attracting cultural tourists to reap significant economic rewards.

The last study of this depth on the economic impact of arts and culture in Florida was completed in 2009. In 2009, arts and culture generated $3.1 billion in economic activity compared to a $4.68 billion economic impact in 2015 – an increase of $1.58 billion in just six years.

The most recent study gathered data from fiscal year 2015 and was conducted by surveying 1,688 nonprofit arts and cultural organizations as well as 35,967 arts and cultural audience members in Florida. The Division of Cultural Affairs gathered data from participating organizations statewide. Funding for the Florida-specific study was provided by Citizens for Florida Arts.

To view the Arts & Economic Prosperity 5: The Economic Impact of Nonprofit Arts and Cultural Organizations and Their Audiences in the State of Florida report, please click here.

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About the Division of Cultural Affairs

The Florida Department of State Division of Cultural Affairs is Florida’s legislatively designated state arts agency. The Division promotes the arts and culture as essential to quality of life for all Floridians. To achieve its mission, the Division funds and supports cultural programs that provide artistic excellence, diversity, education, access and economic vitality for Florida’s communities. For more information, visit dos.myflorida.com/cultural.