Culture Has Measurable Effect on NH’s Economy

April 19, 2013 at 2:48 PM

In 2012, the N.H. State Council on the Arts released a study detailing how arts and culture organizations affect New Hampshire’s economy.

Prepared by Americans for the Arts, Arts & Economic Prosperity IV: Report for the State of New Hampshire collected economic information from 161 of the 773 nonprofit arts and culture organizations identified by the N.H. State Council on the Arts.

Results from the study were not multiplied in an effort to calculate the total economic impact that arts and cultural organizations have on New Hampshire’s economy. Instead, figures are a true representation of the 21 percent participation rate.

Information gathered from the 161 participating organizations found that they:

Create $115.1 million of total economic activity in New Hampshire
Support the equivalent of 3,493 full-time jobs.
Generate $11.6 million in local and state government revenue

$5.557 million by the organizations
$6.049 million by their audiences

Arts & Economic Prosperity IV also surveyed 3,433 audience members attending arts and cultural events, reporting that:

80.2 percent were residents, who spent an average of $19.25 per event – excluding the cost of event admission
19.8 percent were nonresidents, who spent an average of $34.70 per event – excluding the cost of event admission

60.8 percent of nonresidents reported that the primary reason for their trip was “specifically to attend this arts / cultural event”
8.4 percent of nonresidents reported that they would spend at least one night away from home in New Hampshire as a result of attending the event
Nonresidents who stayed overnight in paid lodging spent an average of $154.59 per person as a result of attending the event.

In addition to the statewide report, several communities and regions in New Hampshire participated in Arts & Economic Prosperity IV, creating specific reports related to their locations, including Greater Concord, the Town of Newmarket, Greater Portsmouth, the City of Rochester and the Arts Alliance of Northern New Hampshire (which coordinated the North Country study). Data from those reports is incorporated into the statewide and national reports.

The N.H. State Council on the Arts was the main partner for the statewide study; other statewide partners included the New Hampshire Business Committee for the Arts and the Putnam Foundation.

Funding for the statewide study was provided by Tom Putnam and the Putnam Foundation.

Visit the Arts & Economic Prosperity IV: Report for the State of New Hampshire homepage.

Read the full report.

Read the summary of findings.

Read the FAQs.

Read the press release.