Arts and Economy

Nationally

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reports that in 2017, the arts and culture sector contributed $230.3 billion to California’s economy, representing 8.2% of the state’s GDP—a larger share of the state’s economy than Construction ($102 billion), or Transportation ($72 billion)
Seventy-six percent of all U.S. leisure travelers participate in cultural or heritage activities such as visiting museums. These travelers spend 60 percent more on average than other leisure travelers.
Museums and other nonprofit cultural organizations return more than $5 in tax revenues for every $1 they receive in funding from all levels of government.
More people visited an art museum, science center, historic house or site, zoo, or aquarium in 2018 than attended a professional sporting event.
The arts industry contribute $736 BILLION to the US economy:
- This is more than Agriculture, Transportation or Warehousing
- We employ 4.9 MIL arts workers
- The arts exported $20 billion (more than it imported)

2020 Otis Report on the Creative economy states 15.4% of all jobs (2.7 million) in California are in the creative industries, generating $650.3 billion in total annual output per year.
According to the National Endowment for the Arts: California’s arts and cultural industries employed 764,100 workers. These workers earned wages and benefits totaling over $95.9 billion.
Also NEA: 46.8% of California’s adults attended live music, theater, or dance performances, while 24.8% attended art exhibits.
California museums have a $6.55 billion financial impact on the economy and support over 80,000 jobs. The museum sector generated $492 million in tax revenues for the State of California in 2017, in addition to over $1 billion in federal taxes.