Report Shows Economic Impact Of The Arts To Duluth

No guess work here.  A study released yesterday by the City of Duluth outlines the economic impact that nonprofit arts and culture play in our community.  According to the survey, the industry is responsible for generating over $36 million in total economic impact on an annual basis.

For decades, the role that arts and culture play in Duluth has been tossed around with no real authoritative numbers to back it up.  Tangible signs of its impact include vibrant downtown area that is home to a wide variety of stores and services that lend themselves to that category.  In partnership with the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council and Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, the City of Duluth funded the study to assess the matter.

Creative Minnesota: The Impact and Health of the Nonprofit Arts and Culture Sector found that 37 nonprofit arts and culture organizations in Duluth support the equivalent of 922 full time jobs in the city, and 835,898 people attend nonprofit arts and cultural events annually.

The City of Duluth ranked 3rd among the cities studied in this report, behind only Minneapolis and St. Paul, in total economic impact. Also among the highest is Duluth’s economic impact per capita from the arts and culture sector, found to be $418 for every city resident.

According to the sources that funded this study, they expect to revisit the survey on a regular basis - every two years.