NC Arts Nonprofits: $2.23 Billion in Economic Impact
The NC Arts Council recently released the results of the Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6) which showed that the nonprofit arts and culture industry generated $2.23 billion in economic activity and supported 38,000 full-time jobs in 2022. AEP6 is an economic and social impact study conducted by Americans for the Arts in partnership with state and local arts agencies and cultural organization across the country.
The AEP6 study revealed growth of 5% in overall economic impact in North Carolina since 2015, reflecting the extraordinary efforts and investments by arts agencies, organizations, and state and local governments to raise and distribute funds to support the arts during and post COVID-19. Nearly 30 million in-person attendees to arts and culture events spending an average of $39.10 per person, not including the cost of admission, were crucial to the arts sector’s resurgence after several challenging years. The North Carolina arts sector was a bright spot in the nation, which saw a decline of more than 7% in overall economic impact, from $166.3 billion to $151.7 billion.
That $2.23 billion in statewide economic activity includes:
- $1.05 billion in spending by nonprofit arts and culture organizations
- $1.18 billion in event-related spending by their audiences
- 20,662 FTE jobs supported by arts organizations.
- 17,315 FTE jobs supported by audience spending.
- $439 million in local, state, and federal government revenue
Arts North Carolina will continue to analyze and utilize the AEP6 data and work with the NC Arts Council and local partners to best utilize this information to advance public funding and policy for nonprofit arts and culture organizations statewide.
State Leaders on AEP6
“The arts not only bring enjoyment and better quality of life, they bring a real boost to our economy,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “Thanks to the North Carolina Arts Council’s work to support our talented artists, our state is a stronger, more vibrant place.”
“The Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 study shows the huge economic impact that the arts have on our state,” said Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Reid Wilson. “From arts education in schools to support for local arts organizations, we will continue promoting the arts for the benefit of all North Carolinians.”
“Our agency’s mission is ‘Arts for All,’ and that was never clearer than during the last few years. We worked with a historic number of arts organizations and artists in all 100 counties, because the arts sector was one of the hardest hit by COVID-19,” said Jeff Bell, Executive Director of the NC Arts Council. “There really isn’t a better feeling than knowing support of the arts contributes to our state’s economic vibrancy, as well as making our communities better places to work, live, and visit.”
About AEP6
More than 1,000 North Carolina nonprofit arts and culture organizations provided financial and audience information about their 2022 expenditures and activities. Study data also included behavior and spending data from more than 18,000 attendees to nonprofit arts and culture events from May 2022 to June 2023.
The AEP6 study prioritized equity, community engagement, and inclusivity. With the goal of reducing systemic bias, Americans for the Arts transformed its approach and expanded the inclusion and participation of organizations serving or representing BIPOC- (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and ALAANA- (African, Latine, Asian, Arab, Native American) identifying communities.
Nationally, the study showed that America’s nonprofit arts and culture sector is a $151.7 billion industry—one that supports 2.6 million jobs and generates $29.1 billion in government revenue.