G.T. Bynum – Mayor of Tulsa
"The arts industry is vital to any city’s quality of life and we are thankful to be home to world-class arts institutions that make a tremendous impact in Tulsa. Tulsans pride ourselves on being an arts city, and we continue to invest in the arts because we know the critical role the arts community has in our local economy, quality of life and the future advancement of our city."
THE ARTS MEAN BUSINESS
Arts & Economic Prosperity 5 Economic Impact Study
REGION
The Economic Impact of Nonprofit Arts and Cultural Organizations and Their Audiences in the Greater Tulsa Region (Fiscal Year 2015). This study focuses solely on the economic impact of nonprofit arts and cultural organizations and event-related spending by their audiences.
Totals gathered from only 793 valid audience-intercepted surveys.
The nonprofit arts and culture sector is a
228,871,178
industry in the Greater Tulsa Region
“Attracting and retaining a workforce is crucial to developing jobs in Tulsa. The arts not only help us attract a great workforce but also creates jobs. Investments in the arts is a key component of expanding Tulsa’s economic prosperity. From the BOK Center to Gilcrease Museum, from the Performing Arts Center to Guthrie Green and everything in between, the arts in Tulsa produce jobs, attract a workforce and visitors to our city. This study shows the arts are truly a major economic development tool for Tulsa.”
Kathy Taylor – City of Tulsa Chief of Economic Development
137,689,013
Arts Audiences
21,800,000
Tax Revenue
7,876
Full-Time Equivalent Jobs Supported
47,641,387
Spent by Non-residents In Meals, Lodging, Transportation and Merchandise
Nonprofit arts and cultural organizations are businesses in their own right. They spent $91.2 million during fiscal year 2015 to employ locally, purchase goods and services from local establishments, and attract tourists.
STATE
The Economic Impact of Nonprofit Arts and Cultural Organizations and Their Audiences in the State of Oklahoma (Fiscal Year 2015)
The nonprofit arts and culture sector is a
872,800,000
industry in the state of Oklahoma
Generating
84,500,000
in state revenue
29,165
Full-Time Equivalent Jobs Supported
541,600,000
in Meals, Lodging, Transportation and Merchandise
“The numbers included in this study are impressive and prove that the continued advances in our arts and culture community provide a significant return on investment for Tulsa. As we build on the extended efforts of the past few years with regard to this industry, one can only imagine the results we will realize in the improvement of education, quality of life, and cultural tourism.”
Phil Lakin – City of Tulsa Councilor
NATIONAL
The Economic Impact of Nonprofit Arts and Cultural Organizations and Their Audiences in the United States (Fiscal Year 2015)
Nationally, the nonprofit arts industry generated
166,300,000,000
of economic activity in 2015
“Understanding and acknowledging the incredible economic impact of the nonprofit arts and culture, we must always remember their fundamental value. They foster beauty, creativity, originality, and vitality. The arts inspire us, sooth us, provoke us, involve us, and connect us. But they also create jobs and contribute to the economy.”
Robert L. Lynch – President and CEO Americans for the Arts
Generating
4,600,000
Jobs
27,500,000,000
To local, state, and federal governments
AEP5 is the most comprehensive study of its kind ever conducted. It provides detailed economic impact findings on 341 study regions representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Economic Impact Beyond Dollars: Volunteerism
During 2015, a total of 9,210 volunteers donated a total of 401,324 hours to the Greater Tulsa Region’s participating nonprofit arts and cultural organizations. This represents a donation of time with an estimated aggregate value of $9,455,193.
The Value of In-Kind Contributions to Arts Organizations
The 123 participating nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in the Greater Tulsa Region reported that they received in-kind contributions with an aggregate value of $1,736,184 during fiscal year 2015.
Tulsa Ballet Company Dancer: Sena Hidaka
Tulsa Ballet Company Dancer: João Sampaio
Photographer: Jeremy Charles
The Arts Drive Tourism
Cultural tourists spend more
Nonresident attendees spent an average of 180 percent more per person than local attendees. 57 percent indicate that the primary purpose of their visit to the State of Oklahoma was specifically to attend an arts/cultural event.
85.7 percent indicated that the primary purpose of their visit to the Greater Tulsa Region was specifically to attend an arts/cultural event.
This study puts to rest a misconception that communities support arts and culture at the expense of local economic development. In fact, communities that support the arts and culture are investing in an industry that supports jobs, generates government revenue, and is the cornerstone of tourism. This Arts & Economic Prosperity 5 study shows conclusively that the arts mean business in the Greater Tulsa Region!
Arts and Economic Prosperity 5 was conducted by Americans for the Arts, the nation’s nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America. Established in 1960, we are dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts.
The Greater Tulsa Region’s Participating Nonprofit Arts and Cultural Organizations
This study could not have been completed without the cooperation of the 123 nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in the Greater Tulsa Region, listed below, that provided detailed financial and event attendance information about their organization.
