G.T. Bynum – Mayor of Tulsa
"The arts industry is vital to any city’s quality of life and we are thankful to be home to world-class arts institutions that make a tremendous impact in Tulsa. Tulsans pride ourselves on being an arts city, and we continue to invest in the arts because we know the critical role the arts community has in our local economy, quality of life and the future advancement of our city."
THE ARTS MEAN BUSINESS
Arts & Economic Prosperity 5 Economic Impact Study
REGION
The Economic Impact of Nonprofit Arts and Cultural Organizations and Their Audiences in the Greater Tulsa Region (Fiscal Year 2015). This study focuses solely on the economic impact of nonprofit arts and cultural organizations and event-related spending by their audiences.
Totals gathered from only 793 valid audience-intercepted surveys.
The nonprofit arts and culture sector is a
228,871,178
industry in the Greater Tulsa Region
“Attracting and retaining a workforce is crucial to developing jobs in Tulsa. The arts not only help us attract a great workforce but also creates jobs. Investments in the arts is a key component of expanding Tulsa’s economic prosperity. From the BOK Center to Gilcrease Museum, from the Performing Arts Center to Guthrie Green and everything in between, the arts in Tulsa produce jobs, attract a workforce and visitors to our city. This study shows the arts are truly a major economic development tool for Tulsa.”
Kathy Taylor – City of Tulsa Chief of Economic Development
137,689,013
21,800,000
7,876
47,641,387
Nonprofit arts and cultural organizations are businesses in their own right. They spent $91.2 million during fiscal year 2015 to employ locally, purchase goods and services from local establishments, and attract tourists.
STATE
The Economic Impact of Nonprofit Arts and Cultural Organizations and Their Audiences in the State of Oklahoma (Fiscal Year 2015)
The nonprofit arts and culture sector is a
872,800,000
industry in the state of Oklahoma
Generating
84,500,000
29,165
541,600,000
“The numbers included in this study are impressive and prove that the continued advances in our arts and culture community provide a significant return on investment for Tulsa. As we build on the extended efforts of the past few years with regard to this industry, one can only imagine the results we will realize in the improvement of education, quality of life, and cultural tourism.”
Phil Lakin – City of Tulsa Councilor
NATIONAL
The Economic Impact of Nonprofit Arts and Cultural Organizations and Their Audiences in the United States (Fiscal Year 2015)
Nationally, the nonprofit arts industry generated
166,300,000,000
of economic activity in 2015
“Understanding and acknowledging the incredible economic impact of the nonprofit arts and culture, we must always remember their fundamental value. 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.”
Robert L. Lynch – President and CEO Americans for the Arts