The Lone Star State’s arts and culture sector isn’t just a playground for musicians and artists; it’s a heavyweight in the economy ring, too. According to a report by KXAN, over the past decade, arts and culture in Texas have generated a cool $7.3 billion, marking a growth spurt of more than 60% in that timespan. This isn’t chump change either, with almost $459.1 million filling the state sales tax coffers. In terms of jobs, we’re talking almost one million Texans punching their time cards in creative sectors—that’s nearly one out of every 14 jobs across the state.
When you zoom in on the metros, it’s Dallas leading the charge with $1.27 billion in taxable arts and culture sales in 2023, followed by Houston’s $1.06 billion and Austin’s respectable $607 million. And let’s not ignore tourism, which has shot up to $94.8 billion, a sizeable leap from the $68.7 billion seen a decade earlier. Employment-wise, that’s a rebound to pre-COVID levels, equating to 719,000 employees in the tourism industry alone as per the same KXAN article.
The film sector in Texas is also seeing action, with the Texas Moving Image Incentive Program attracting $2.52 billion of spending in the state over 17 years. Projects like “1883” and “Love & Death” have spent north of $44 million statewide and employed thousands of Texans. With new production studios popping up in San Marcos and Bastrop and ATX Film Studios racking up nominations, Central Texas is hot on the Hollywood trail.
Meanwhile, the Texas Cultural Trust has detailed the myriad ways arts help color outside the proverbial economic lines in their 2025 State of the Arts Report. Their findings, as shared in a press release, underscore that the arts are not just aesthetically pleasing but pack an economic punch, too, while also playing a significant role in education and health. Heidi Marquez Smith, CEO of the Texas Cultural Trust, proclaimed, “Our 2025 State of the Arts Report reaffirms that the arts are not just a cultural cornerstone but also a powerful driver of Texas’ economy, education, and overall well-being.”
In the realm of education, the Texas Cultural Trust’s report shows that Texas students knee-deep in the arts are up to 46% more likely to pass standardized tests like the Texas Success Initiative and twice as likely to excel in advanced placement criteria. But, it’s not all standing ovations—there’s an equity issue, with 61% of elementary arts education teachers lacking proper certification, particularly affecting rural and underserved schools. This juxtaposition accentuates the gap that the Texas Cultural Trust and partners are working tirelessly to bridge, ensuring transformative arts experiences are within reach for all Texans.