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.

Posted by Mary McCauley at 7:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Apologies to Mark Twain, but local arts groups soon could generate lots more of the latter -- statistics, that is -- than they have in the past.

Arts aficionados have been convinced for years that the arts benefit society in ways that far exceed economics. They can help kids to do better in school. They help adults grapple with the moral dilemma of our day. They often are in the forefront of social change.

At least, that's the theory. But, how to prove it?

Until now, justifying these extravagant claims has been a sticking point. But this week, the Cultural Data Project, a web-based initiative, comes to Maryland thanks to the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance. This tool can perform such vital tasks as generating financial reports for board members to collecting reliable audience demographics.

The CDP could be invaluable, for instance, if it revealed that 20 percent of the audience members of a classical music ensemble were minorities, or that 30 percent of ticketbuyers were younger than age 25.

In a news release, Doreen Bolger, director of the Baltimore Museum of Art, predicts that the new financial tools will "really level the playing field" by enabling small arts groups staffed by part-time volunteers to prepare grant applications (for example) as detailed and comprehensive as those put out by the largest groups with full-time staffs.

In this data-obsessed age, numbers are an essential part of justifying revenue requests. So any tool that potentially can come up with rock-solid, reliable statistics is a potential gold mine. Here's hoping that local arts groups -- especially the smaller one -- will take full advantage of it.

Posted by Mary McCauley at 6:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

No child left behind? I guess that depends on how you define the rear guard.

Researchers have documented that as schools come under increasing pressure to achieve results in the three Rs, the curriculum has narrowed, eliminating such "frills" as art, music and theater.

Arts advocates in Maryland think that's a shame and are actively attempting to combat the trend. A summit held today for Maryland school superintendents at Strathmore Hall in North Bethesda will address the issue of how the arts enhance student learning.

"We have been working for over 15 years to improve arts education in the city and the state," writes Mary Anne Mears, acting executive director of the Ats Education in Maryland Schools Alliance. "This event is a moment when a number of significant pieces are falling in place."

One positive development is a planned new school for the arts in Hagerstown, being built in a renovated theater. The Barbara Ingram School for the Arts will draw talented high-school students in Washington County seeking future careers in the performing and visual arts.

Posted by Mary McCauley at 8:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)