(The Center Square) – A new study on Tacoma’s nonprofit arts and culture industry revealed that sector generated $28.7 million in tax revenue and $163 million in economic activity in 2022.
The Arts and Economic Prosperity 6 – also known as AEP6 – study found nonprofit organization event-related spending by audiences generates revenue for local merchants, nearby restaurants, paying to park or for a rideshare, and shopping at local retail stores. In turn, the revenue goes toward supporting jobs, as well as generating household income and tax revenues.
The AEP6 study is conducted every five years by the nonprofit organization, Americans for the Arts. It documents economic and social contributions of nonprofit arts and culture organizations throughout the U.S..
Spending by individual artists and the for-profit arts and culture sector are not included in the study. Examples include for-profit art galleries, theater shows and the motion picture industry.
Out of the $28.7 million in 2022 tax revenue, the study finds $5.2 million goes toward city government revenue, $6.5 million for the state and $17 million for the federal government.
During 2022, Tacoma’s Office of Arts and Cultural Vitality had 88 organizations participate in the survey about their fiscal year 2022 expenses and attendance. They reported aggregate expenditures of $87.1 million, which generated total economic impacts of 1,318 jobs, $59.5 million in resident household income and $16.9 million in total tax revenue, according to the survey results.
Spending by nonprofit arts and culture audiences in Tacoma generated a total of $11.8 million in tax revenues, according to the AEP6 study. This brings the total to $28.7 million in generated tax revenue by nonprofit arts and culture activity.
“This study reaffirms what we have always known to be true – that arts and culture are not only essential to our quality of life and our shared identity as a city, they also play an important role in our economic vitality,” Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards said in a statement.