Study shows economic benefits of arts to Catawba County, Hickory

The study, conducted by Americans for the Arts, examined the economic impact of nonprofit arts organizations through surveys of both arts organizations and their patrons.

Participants for the study were the respondents to a nationwide request the group sent out in 2015. The study included data from 250 organizations in 341 communities across the country.

Overall, the report found the arts bring roughly $49.2 million to the county, with $12.6 million in direct spending by arts organizations and $36.7 million from audiences.

The total industry expenditures exceeded both the median expenditure in comparable regions and the national median, which were $31.4 million and $35.8 million, respectively.

In addition, the arts create the equivalent of 1,442 full-time jobs, provide $29.9 million in household income and contribute $4.2 million to state and local coffers.

While the overall amount of money spent by arts organizations was lower than in other places, the amount of audience spending was higher.

The median in comparable regions from audiences was $15.1 million, and the national median was $18.9 million.

Alan Jackson, who presented the findings to the council, described this as an indication of the efficiency of the local arts organizations.

“So really what we’re looking at is that these arts and cultural organizations in Catawba County are bringing large audiences to events, and having a greater impact on local and state government revenue while spending less money themselves as organizations to do so,” Jackson said.

The survey also dug into some demographic characteristics of arts patrons, including the differences between residents and nonresidents.

Catawba County residents who attended cultural events tended to be older, with just more than 63 percent of attendees surveyed being 55 or older.

Roughly 17 percent of the surveyed residents were 44 or younger.