Orlando's Cultural Arts Community Pumps Tens of Millions
of Dollars into the City's Economy
National Study Quantifies the Key Economic Role Played by
Orlando’s Nonprofit Arts Industry

Orlando, FL - (August 1, 2012) – A national study that examined 182 communities across the nation showed that the arts bring big business to the City of Orlando. The report, which was conducted by the nonprofit Americans for the Arts, revealed that nonprofit arts groups in Orlando generate about $94 million worth of spending by tourists, residents and nonprofit organizations helping to support nearly 3,487 local jobs.

“These results confirm that Orlando’s cultural arts groups not only enrich our City’s quality of life, but also mean serious business for our community by providing thousands of jobs and generating millions in revenues,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “In addition to their vital role in the City’s economy, having these cultural amenities continues to make Orlando one of the best places in America to live, work, raise a family and visit.”

The Orlando spending impact includes activities such as price paid for event tickets, the money spent on before or after-show meals and baby-sitting. It also includes the wages paid to local arts employees as well as license and user fees. According to the report, Orlando’s nonprofit arts groups help generate $77 million in household income and $8.6 million in local and state government revenues.

The $94 million worth of economic activity generated by Orlando’s nonprofit arts community is nearly four times higher than the roughly $24 million median spending generated in similarly populated areas (100,000 to 250,000 people) in other parts of the U.S. In this category, Orlando easily outperformed a host of other places, including Alexandria, Virginia; Glendale, California and Boise, Idaho.

For the Central Florida region as a whole, nonprofit arts and culture is a $264 million industry—one that supports 8,966 full-time equivalent jobs, $200 million in household income and generates $36 million in local and state government revenue.

About the Study:
The study was conducted by Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America, and coordinated locally by United Arts of Central Florida. Orlando is one of 182 communities and regions across the nation that participated in the national study. The nation’s nonprofit arts and culture industry has grown steadily since the first analysis by Americans for the Arts in 1992, expanding at a rate greater than inflation. The report reveals that the nonprofit arts industry generates $135.2 billion in national economic activity every year. The total economic activity has a significant national impact, generating 4.1 million full-time equivalent jobs, $86.68 billion in resident household income and $22.3 billion in federal, state and local tax revenues.

A copy of the National study and Orlando specific information can be found at www.americansforthearts.org/economicimpact. For local breakout reports for select participating counties and cities, please visit http://tinyurl.com/UAresearch.

For more information on Orlando and the Arts & Culture Industry visit www.cityoforlando.net.
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