Americans for the Arts "Arts & Economic Prosperity III Impact Study"
 The City of Savannah participated in national study that was conducted to assess the economic impact of non-profit arts and cultural organizations and their audiences on their communities. The results, released in June 2007, ranked Savannah high among similarly populated cities, placing it sixth after municipalities such as Pasadena, Ca.; Providence, R. I.; and Orlando, Fla.
The study, Arts and Economic Prosperity III, was conducted by Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America. Established in 1960, the organization is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. The study, previously conducted in 1994 and 2002, included findings from over 6,000 nonprofit art and culture organizations and their attendees in 156 study areas (116 cities and counties, 35 multi-county regions and five states).
“Understanding and acknowledging the incredible economic impact of the nonprofit arts and culture, we must always remember their fundamental value,” said Robert L. Lynch, president of Americans for the Arts. “They foster beauty, creativity, originality, and vitality. The arts inspire us, sooth us, provoke us, involve us, and connect us. But they also create jobs and contribute to the economy.”
The study provided data that shows that the nonprofit arts and culture are a $46.63 million industry in the City of Savannah – one that supports 1,606 full time equivalent jobs and generates $4.8 million in local and state government revenue. Nationally, the nonprofit arts and culture industry generates $166.2 billion in economic activity annually – a twenty-four percent increase in just the past five years. This spending supports 5.7 million full-time jobs in the U. S. – an increase of 850,000 jobs since the last study was conducted in 2002.
“This study provides a benchmark for the Savannah art and culture sector,” said Eileen Baker, director of the City’s Department of Cultural Affairs. “additionally, the arts industry provides skill development and job opportunities, builds tourism and generates revenue that is, in turn, invested back into our community. “
Details about the study were presented by Americans for the Arts’ Vice President of Research and Information, Randy Cohen, at an appearance before the Savannah City Council in July. For more information, please contact (912) 651-6417 or visit www.savannahga.gov/arts. For more information on Americans for the Arts, visit www.artsusa.org.
 
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