Americans for the Arts has released its third national study on the economic impact of the arts throughout the U.S. And, although like all studies put out by special interest groups, the findings should be taken with a grain of salt, the results nonetheless are impressive.

The study is based on data provided by 6,080 arts groups, or twice the number surveyed for the arts advocacy group's 2000 report, the last time the study was done. Because the report includes info from twice as many groups, it is not surprising that the estimate of the arts' economic impact has risen. 

Among the highlights of the 2007 report:

• The nation's nonprofit arts industry generates $166.2 billion in economic activity annually.
• The total includes $63 billion in direct spending by the arts organizations themselves. This represents a 19 percent increase over the total amount of spending by the arts groups in 2000, but again, given the larger sample size, that's to be expected.
• Arts audiences spent about $103 billion, or an average of $27.79 per person for hotels, restaurants, parking, etc.
• The arts generated the equivalent of 5.7 million full-time jobs; $104.2 billion in household income and nearly $30 million in federal, state and local taxes.

It seems that the arts provide at least some of the yeast in our national dough.