The Fort Worth City Council heard a briefing Tuesday on the Fort Worth Economics Prosperity Study from Randy Cohen, vice president of research and policy for Americans for the Arts. He asked councilmembers to think about the arts as an industry as well as a source of beauty.
“Art organizations are good business,” Cohen said.
The study focused on nonprofit organizations affiliated with the arts in Fort Worth.
Cohen’s report showed that in a 2015 study, arts in the city were a $450.6 million industry. Of this, $256 million came from organizations and $194.7 million came from audiences.
“This is a myth buster,” Cohen said.
Cohen also noted the importance of arts to the community economy through other outlets, such as spending on gas for vehicles, meals at local restaurants and even paying babysitters.
The report also showed the arts provided 14,480 full-time jobs and $56 million in local and state government revenue, and that patrons spent an average of $36.26 per person per event and an average of $20.76 for snacks and meals.
Thirty-six percent of those attending arts events came from outside Tarrant County, the report showed. Non-local residents spent an average of $55.78, while locals spent an average of $23.75.
Also, 60 percent of those surveyed said they traveled from outside the county for a specific event. Of county residents, 48 percent said they would travel to another county for a specific event were it not offered locally.