Our Red, White and Blue Arts & Culture According to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), during 2015, the last year for which numbers are available, the arts contributed $763.6 billion to the US economy and employed 4.9 million people. There were 673,656 arts- related businesses during 2017. The NEA includes not only visual and live- performing arts, but also film, web streaming and publishing, jewelry manufacturing, design and architectural services. Tax-exempt performing-arts organizations generated $9 billion in revenue and employed 90,000. Americans spent $31.6 billion on admissions to performing arts events, $1 billion (3.2%) more than the NEA had projected. Americans for the Arts’ data shows total direct audience expenditures for all types of nonprofit arts & culture of $102.5 billion for 2015.

Government Funding in Jeopardy Federal, state and local governments contributed $101.5 billion to the arts, $99.2 billion of which went to academic-based arts education in public primary and secondary schools and public colleges and universities. This contribution decreased 3.9% from 2012 to 2015. During March 2017, the White House budget recommended eliminating all NEA and other federal cultural agency funding, however, Congress had not approved this budget recommendation as of the time of the writing of this Profiler. Almost nine of ten (88%) Americans agree the arts are part of a well-rounded K–12 education. A majority support arts funding from local and state government (58% and 57%, respectively) and 43% say federal arts funding is insufficient.

Private Support for the Arts During 2016, charitable giving to arts, culture and humanities increased 6.4% to $18.21 billion. This was the second fastest-growing category of philanthropic giving, after environmental and animal organizations, which increased 7.2% to $11.05 billion. The tax reform bill that Congress passed during late 2018 cut the amount of charitable giving taxpayers are allowed to deduct from their tax returns and is expected to reduce the amount given to the arts and other causes. Corporate foundations allocated 2,704 grants, 14% of total arts grants for 2015. The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation was the biggest 2015 arts funder, giving $199 million, followed by the Lilly Endowment, $91 million, and the Ford Foundation, $83 million.

Distribution of Arts Across the Country Regionally, there are more arts-related businesses in the Pacific West, Southwest, Mountain and New England regions. The National Endowment for the Arts awards grants in every congressional district in the US, including rural areas. States with the highest percentage of arts-related businesses include New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, New York, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Vermont. The lowest concentration of arts-related businesses is in South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kentucky, West Virginia, Indiana, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Wyoming, South Dakota and North Dakota.

A Portrait of Americans and the Arts An Americans for the Arts survey found almost seven of ten (68%) American adults had attended an arts event during the previous year. People of color were more likely to attend arts events than Caucasian Americans (71% compared to 66%). Millennials are highly engaged in the arts: 82% attended an arts event during the past year. Almost half (47%) purchased a piece of art for their home during the past year, more than Gen Xers (30%), Baby Boomers (18%) and Elders (13%). Of the 73% of Americans who display art in their homes and/or are involved in creating art, 34% said art lifts their spirits; 29%, it is inspiring; 28%, it beautifies their homes; 27%, it makes them feel creative; and 25%, it invokes memories.

Being Moved by Art Almost two-thirds (65%) of respondents to the Americans Speak Out About the Arts survey said they included an arts or cultural event during their last vacation. One-fifth visited a museum of history or science and another 19% a museum of art. Cultural tourists were more likely to be people of color (70%) than Caucasian Americans (63%). Attendance at arts and cultural events was evenly split by gender. Millennials are more likely to consider the arts when travelling (57%) compared to other ages (43%). Millennials are also more likely to consider the arts when deciding where to move for work (52%) compared to 44% for Gen Xers, 34% for Baby Boomers and 32% for Elders.

Advertising Strategies Because consumers are more likely to shop at businesses and stores that are actively involved in the community, recommend that your prospects and clients allocate a portion of their advertising budget to help local arts organizations promote themselves. For arts education programs, emphasize the link between arts education and academic achievement and empathy. For performing arts, highlight the unforgettable experience of live performances, especially when targeting Millennials. For visual arts, share how art lifts the spirit and spurs inspiration, innovation and creativity.

New Media Strategies Promote art shows, film screenings and other arts events on Facebook. More than half of social media users (53%) say they are more exposed to the arts thanks to social media. This increases to 70% among Millennials. Consider a “Hidden Artists” promotion on social media, inviting amateur artists to submit a poem, drawing, photograph, etc. of their own. Ask everyone to vote for their favorite (or by category) and then feature the winner(s) on your Website and/or in your gallery. Invite local artists to post videos on YouTube and your Website of them during the creative process and sharing his/her motivation and goals and tips for amateur artists.