We’ve been reveling in some arts stats that came out last month: The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the National Endowment for the Arts released new figures that paint an insightful picture of America’s creative economy. For the first time, the data reveals not just the national impact, but also break down the commercial force of the arts in each of the 50 states.
The Arts and Cultural Production Satellite Account tracks the yearly economic impact of arts and cultural production from 35 industries, both commercial and nonprofit. It reports on economic measures: value-added to the GDP, employment, and compensation at both the state and federal level.
In 2015-—the most recent data in the ACPSA report—the arts employed 4.9 million workers across the U.S. and contributed $763.6 billion to the national economy. That represents a nearly 40 percent growth in GDP contribution since 1998. In that same time, consumer spending on the performing arts nationwide has nearly doubled.
And now for the part you were waiting for—California’s creative industry. It’s good news. It’s very, very good news:
The arts added $174.6 billion in value to California’s economy. That’s 7.1 percent of the state’s overall GDP, and comparable to the contributions of the construction, agriculture, and transportation industries combined.*
Arts and culture production employed 705,506 people in California paid $80.2 billion in compensation, making up 4 percent of the state’s employment and 6 percent of the state’s compensation.
We’re sure you’re still wondering, how’d we measure up when compared to other states?
1st among all states in ACPSA value added
7th among all states in ACPSA value-added growth
1st among all states in ACPSA employment
7th among all states in ACPSA employment growth
1st among all states in ACPSA compensation
1st among all states in ACPSA compensation growth
Well done, California. We like this look on you. 😉
The numbers look slightly different than those gathered by the Otis Report on the Creative Economy of California, a report supported by the California Arts Council. Dates and defining of terms and parameters vary from one report to the other. But the story told by the ACPSA numbers is the same, and one we art lovers know by heart: Art means business, and business is booming. And in California, where creativity is at the core of our identity, it’s important that we demonstrate that value—while continuing to grow our economy—by making a conscious investment in our artists.
This week on the California Arts Council blog, we’re taking you on a “site” seeing tour of arts.ca.gov. If you’ve never before perused the items of our website’s drop-down menu, you may have overlooked some worthwhile stuff. Here’s the scoop on four great resources worth checking out!
If you’re an artist, arts administrator, or art student seeking work, or just an arts enthusiast looking to break into the field, these are for you.
This Artist Calls page includes organizations seeking various creative talents for exhibitions, performances, photography and film shoots, and more.
Next comes the Arts Jobs page—we maintain a comprehensive list of vacancies within arts organizations, whether it’s in the art department or accounting. (Most positions posted are in the state, but the occasional out-of-state opportunity is listed as well.)
All the listings can be sorted by specific criteria to help you zero in on whatever best suits your needs. Seeking candidates for a position, exhibition or performance? No problem. Take advantage of our easy-to-use submission forms to have your post included on the appropriate page!
Obviously, our website features lots of info on the 15 different grant programs we administer. But did you know we got the memo about other grants, too? Our Grants webpage features a database for grants available from outside organizations—also easily sorted to get to what you’re looking for faster. If you’re a grantmaker that wants to give visibility to an opportunity, submit your information to editor@cac.ca.gov.
Looking for learning opportunities as an arts administrator or educator? Need assistance navigating the world of grant writing or grantmaking? We’ve got a calendar of conferences, workshops, webinars, and training opportunities to help you sharpen your skill set and broaden your knowledge base. To recommend a listing to be added, shoot us an email at editor@cac.ca.gov.
Keeping up to date in the arts means staying informed of the latest in case studies, strategies, and science. We’ve collected hundreds of reports about the arts. Browse our research database by topic, explore our page of arts terms and concepts, or get some background on the benefits of the arts to education, the economy, and health.
P.S. Listings from most of these pages are regularly featured in our weekly Arts Council newsletter, ArtBeat. Sign up here and never miss the latest updates!
It’s been such an eventful year here at the California Arts Council, full of advancements toward fulfilling our vision—a California where arts and culture thrive on our streets, at our schools, and in the hearts of every resident.
Looking back, we couldn’t possibly list all the wonderful achievements of our grantees, Council, and staff without penning a novel. To save you from scroll fatigue, we hope you’ll settle for this abridged list of some of our biggest accomplishments of 2017.
MORE THAN 1,000 GRANTS AWARDED
More than $15 million in state funding was invested in California nonprofit organizations and units of government for their work spanning the Arts Council’s 15 unique program categories, benefiting students, veterans, arts educators, at-risk youth, formerly incarcerated individuals, underserved populations, and communities at large. The 1,076 grants awarded are the largest investment in grants for the Arts Council since the 2002-03 fiscal year.
$6.8 MILLION PERMANENT BUDGET INCREASE
June’s announcement of the 2017-18 state budget turned a one-time $6.8 million increase from this fiscal year into a permanent one, extending the reach of the California Arts Council’s grant programs to more sustainably meet the needs and demand for arts and cultural experiences benefiting diverse communities across the state.
IMPACT OF CALIFORNIA’S CREATIVE ECONOMY GROWS
Now in its fourth year, the Otis Report on the Creative Economy of California continues to emphasize the value of our state’s creative industry, drawing a direct relationship between California’s place as the sixth largest global economy and its artistic residents. This year’s report cited a $406.5 billion creative economic output, responsible for 10.9 percent of the state’s GDP. As an addendum to the report, the Arts Council commissioned a white paper targeting the housing crisis in California to identify ways to fight the displacement of California’s artist population.
ARTS IN CORRECTIONS REACHES ALL STATE ADULT INSTITUTIONS
California’s Arts in Corrections program has become internationally renowned for its high-impact, innovative approach to addressing the state’s critical public safety needs and rehabilitative priorities through the arts. Made possible by an interagency partnership with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, arts programming now reaches all 35 state adult correctional institutions – a significant increase from the 20 institutions served by the program in the previous fiscal year.
THREE NEW GRANT PROGRAMS LAUNCHED
Building on the success of the Arts in Corrections program, the California Arts Council introduced Reentry Through the Arts, a grant program rooted in the belief in the arts as an agent of change for the formerly incarcerated. We initiated Research in the Arts, the first program of its kind supporting original research on the value and impact of the arts. And we revamped and reinstituted our Arts and Public Media program to better engage our communities in arts and culture storytelling.
CALIFORNIA CULTURAL DISTRICTS ESTABLISHED
The California Arts Council launched its California Cultural District program in 2017, designating 14 districts to comprise the program’s first cohort. Aligning with the mission and values of the California Arts Council, the districts will celebrate some of the thriving cultural diversity and unique artistic identities of California while unifying under an umbrella of shared values, helping to grow and sustain authentic grassroots arts and cultural opportunities, increasing the visibility of local artists and community participation in local arts and culture, and promoting socioeconomic and ethnic diversity. Additional new districts will be eligible to apply for state designation in 2019 through a finalized certification process.
Whew! That’s quite a bit, and really, we’ve just scratched the surface of the meaningful work that’s taken place here this year. As we plan for next year and the years to come, we’ll continue to strive for quality service, bettering our communities, improving lives, and celebrating California’s vibrancy through increased access to the arts.
The California Arts Council was at the state Capitol on Wednesday as artists, arts agencies, organizations and advocacy groups gathered for a seat at the table of the Joint Committee on the Arts. Joint Committee Chair Senator Ben Allen and other committee members listened intently and asked questions as various panelists expressed their views on the state of the arts in California.
At the top of the agenda was the newly released Otis Report on the Creative Economy of California, with special attention paid to the addendum white paper addressing the need for safe and affordable live-work spaces for artists. The turnout and the passion was so great, we’d thought it best to let the attendees speak for themselves, with a sampling of quotes below. You can check out the full hearing in the Senate media archive.
On the Otis Report:
“The [Otis Report] challenges the existing understanding that the arts are side activities to the ‘real’ economy. … It asks the question, what would it look like to put the economic output of creativity connected industries front and center in our economic and political initiatives?”
“It’s my hope that cities and counties throughout California can leverage the Otis Report to encourage further investments in art education, economic development and cultural planning.”
“If we could touch the invisible or some of the soft statistics, these statistics would be even higher and more productive for you to look at, I think, as a major, major engine of the economy.”
Bruce Ferguson, Otis College of Art and Design
“Artists don’t conform to the way that the government likes to collect statistics. I would say that the numbers in here are undercounted.”
“Activities based on creativity are essential components of a robust, healthy and growing economy.”
Kimberly Ritter-Martinez, Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation
On the value of the arts:
“The question is, how can we in the United States immerse ourselves so fully in arts and culture but place so little value on artists, when other countries place their arts and culture in higher regard?”
“Part of why California has been able to be the economic juggernaut that it is—the sixth largest economy in the world—has so much to do with the creativity that exists here, and the fact that so many business want to be in this creative place. For that, I am eternally grateful to our creative industry, our creative economy.”
Senator Ben Allen, Joint Committee Chair
“Being someone in education now for the past 25 years, I can tell the difference when I walk in the school whether there is a robust arts program or not. Without seeing the classrooms, without seeing what’s on the walls, there’s a feeling in the way the kids bounce through the halls.”
Donn Harris, California Arts Council Chair
“All of these different groups now understand what we as the arts sector can do, and it has fundamentally changed our relationship with the city. … This one project, with each of these agencies, it helps meet each of their discreet missions. And that’s magical. And that’s one of the things that you can do when you use the creative process to address a problem.”
“These programs matter. Arts matters. It has powerful potential to change our communities.”
Michelle Williams, Executive Director, Arts Council Santa Cruz County
“Certainly cities and developers have been using artists for ages to stimulate growth, so we need to find ways of protecting them as well.”
Teri Deaver, Vice President, Consulting and Strategic Partnerships, Artspace
“If this is what we value, we need to put a little more wood behind the arrow.”
Ron Vidal, Oakland artist and firefighter
On artist displacement:
“We really do have a challenge. There are a lot of artists out there that are struggling to do their work, and do it in a way that doesn’t break the bank. But ultimately, how do we do it in a sustainable way? …. Nobody should have to choose between having a roof over their head and having a place to make a living.”
Senator Ben Allen, Joint Committee Chair
“The community is feeling it. It’s a very public conversation. It’s a challenge for organizations like Self Help Graphics who are undercapitalized, and have historically been undercapitalized, to continue to support the community in a moment where they’re under so much pressure. It feels like a very personal attack on the community, this idea of displacement and being pushed out due to high rents.”
Betty Avila, Associate Director, Self Help Graphics and Art
On artist housing:
“Controlling real-estate, or art space, is critical to the long-term sustainability of the arts. No space, no art. No art, no good.”
Ron Vidal, Oakland artist and firefighter
“Our first obligation, especially at a state level, is to enact legislation … that will allow a sustainable model for our low-income live-work communities.”
Jonah Strauss, Oakland Warehouse Coalition
“What can we do to ensure that we have affordable housing? One is preserve what we have currently. There is a lot of displacement happening—can we extend rent stabilization and tenant protection rights to artists that are living, perhaps, in nonconforming, nontraditional housing situations in light industrial areas? Can we create special use permits in areas that have existing communities that can be put toward safe spaces that are in some of these more industrial areas?”
Teri Deaver, Vice President, Consulting and Strategic Partnerships, Artspace
“The energy, activity, and economic development created by [the Warehouse Artist Lofts] community of mostly low-income artists has exceeded even my own expectations.”
“We created a platform for artists to build a community and to do what they do best—imagine, create and inspire.”
Ali Youssefi, Vice President, CFY Development Inc.
On the aftermath of the Ghost Ship fire:
“The wider DIY community across America is under threat.”
Sinuba Solomon, Oakland artist
“We’re past the raw impact of the [Ghost Ship] fire. It was immediate, it was visceral. … But now we’ve moved into committees and proposals and policies and rules, and so now it’s about enacting change based on what is the way forward, as opposed to the urgency of the response.”
Ron Vidal, Oakland artist and firefighter
“Regardless of how aggressive the city is, we have some very reactionary landlords who go after the tenants in no uncertain terms. So we’ve had this wave of evictions. … The Oakland warehouse scene is dying.”
Jonah Strauss, Oakland Warehouse Coalition
On safety issues:
“If you don’t have a safe place to be in, you can’t function as an artist. … I mean safety from eviction, safety from fire, safety from crime, and economic exploitation, and long-term affordable work-live.”
Thomas Dolan, Oakland architect and artist
“There’s this issue of life safety people keep talking about. It’s like, of course we want to be safe, but there’s this other form of safety that’s just being able to exist as yourself, completely free. Representing your gender, representing your race, representing your history.”
Sinuba Solomon, Oakland artist
Lastly, an eloquent and simple summary for a complex problem, from the author of the Otis Report’s addendum on the artist housing crisis, Artspace’s Teri Deaver:
In case you missed it: Some big deal data was dropped this morning.
For the last four years, the California Arts Council has supported the generation of a report, developed by Otis College of Art and Design and its research partner, the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation. The Otis Report on the Creative Economy of California takes a deep dive into California’s creative industries; more specifically, into their impact on our state’s economy.
Artists are often an overlooked contributor to our state’s GDP. But it’s no coincidence that California leads the nation in creative jobs and stands alone as the sixth largest global economy in the world. And this year’s figures back up that relationship, putting the money where our muse is.
California’s creative economy generated 747,600 direct jobs, nearly 270,000 more than the second ranking U.S. state for creative occupations, New York.
From 2010 to 2015, direct wage and salary employment in California’s creative industries increased by 88,600 jobs to 747,600, an increase of 13.5 percent.
Creative occupations often require high levels of education or skills training, with close to 50 percent of those examined requiring a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Property taxes, state and local personal income taxes, and sales taxes directly and indirectly generated by the creative industries totaled $16.7 billion across all of California.
The total income reported by arts-related nonprofits in California was $7.8 billion.
So, what do all these numbers mean? It means the arts matter—for wealth as much as health. It means California is awesome—skilled, diverse, imaginative, altogether unique. It means that creativity is an enterprise in and of itself, woven into the fabric of doing business in our state, not as an accent for an already flourishing economy.
It also means that in order to maintain our position as the nation’s nerve center for creativity, we need to invest in our artists that give our state its identity. With rising real-estate costs, an artist’s ability to secure an affordable, appropriate and safe place to live or work presents an enormous challenge. The Ghost Ship fire in Oakland was a harrowing reminder of the reality facing California’s artists, often sacrificing safety for the sake of their work.
This year’s report features an addendum tackling the issue of artist housing, offering solutions for the future. It’s our duty to support the workforce that supports us, and keep the welcome mat out for the creatives to come.
The Blog: California Arts Council 