ArtsKC – Regional Arts Council, is proud to announce that the nonprofit arts and culture industry in Greater Kansas City generated a staggering $615,192,367 in economic activity in 2023, as revealed by the Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6) study conducted by Americans for the Arts. This data underscores the crucial role of nonprofit arts and culture organizations in Clay, Jackson, and Platte counties in Missouri and Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas, contributing significantly to our region’s vibrancy and economic vitality and directly impacting our local communities.
The economic impact of the arts in the KC Metro showcased impactful figures that continue to demonstrate how the arts play a bigger role in our society, economy, and culture. This data demonstrates the need for our artists and arts organizations to ‘sit at the table’ with community leaders and to ensure arts and culture are integral to community and economic development conversations. This study provides a factual, direct way to solidify the importance of arts and culture in our region, enhancing their role in substantively addressing key opportunities, challenges, and topics present in our community.
“The arts create jobs, enhance tourism, advance education, attract investment in our region, and play a role in the health and wellness of our society; the economic impact of arts and culture is powerful,” said Dana Knapp, President and CEO of ArtsKC. “This data continues to showcase the value of the arts. Our mission at ArtsKC is to advance lives through the arts and leading this important study is only one way we elevate and advocate for the arts and culture ecosystem in Kansas City.”
The stats below represent data from 279 organizations from five counties in the Greater KC
Metro area (Wyandotte, Johnson, Jackson, Platte, and Clay). The following are just some of the results reported for area nonprofit arts and cultural organizations and their audiences:
- Engaging over 4.5 million attendees annually, the sector plays a pivotal role in our local economy.
- The nonprofit arts and culture industry generates annually $179.9 million in event-related spending by its audiences, an 86% increase from 2015 (up from $96.6 Million)
- The typical attendee spends $37.06 per person per event, not including the cost of admission.
- 88.8% of respondents agreed that the activity or venue they attended was “a source of neighborhood pride for the community.”
- 85% said they would “feel a sense of loss if that activity or venue was no longer available.”
State-wide, the nonprofit arts and culture sector is an $11 billion industry in Missouri and a $4 billion industry in Kansas. This staggering number outperforms more conventional players like utilities, agriculture, and mining when it comes to the Gross State Product (GSP). The arts quietly but significantly shape the economic scene, showing they’re a formidable force in our financial landscape.
“Arts and culture organizations have a powerful ability to attract and hold dollars in the community longer. They employ people locally, purchase goods and services from nearby businesses, and produce the authentic cultural experiences that are magnets for visitors, tourists, and new residents,” said Nolen V. Bivens, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. “When we invest in nonprofit arts and culture, we strengthen our economy and build more livable communities.”
ArtsKC also recently unveiled its Regional Arts Impact Dashboard, a new tool providing a comprehensive view of the social and economic impact of our region’s nonprofit arts sector, along with key societal and community demographics. Featuring arts asset maps, social impact stories, findings from 2023’s Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6) study, and more, this tool presents a cohesive story of the arts in our region. It is free for the community to utilize.
