GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — The contribution of art to the economy is more than just sales of paintings and performances.
A recent report from the Greater Greensboro Arts Council shows Guilford County will have an economic impact of approximately $240 million in the 2022 fiscal year.
This money includes everything from the beginning to the end of an arts and cultural event. This includes your ticket price, your dinner downtown before the show, the event staff paycheck, and tax revenue.
It takes a while to compile all the data, but the results were better than anyone could have hoped for.
“When I opened this report, I held my breath a little,” said Laura Way, president of the Greater Greensboro Arts Council.
Way spent a lot of time working with arts and cultural organizations in Guilford County to obtain the data. It will be sent to Americans for the Arts to generate the final numbers.
“Arts and culture are the essence of who we are as a community, and it is truly empowering to know that the community believes in and is invested in it too,” Way said.
Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan says she believes the actual impact due to the ripple effect is more than $240 million.
“We see all the places opening up because of the art and culture we have. We see all the restaurants opening. We see small businesses supporting the larger businesses,” Vaughan said.
The study said locals who attended an event spent about $31 on average.
“Our citizens love the arts in all media. They love events and will attend them. If we don't have them here, they're going to participate somewhere else, so we're making sure our people stay here, spend money here and enjoy each other here,” said Kay Cashion with the Guilford County Board of Commissioners.
Out-of-town attendees spent more, an average of $57 per event.
“A large part of this economic impact is caused by people leaving the country and not moving away from the economic base through sanitation, water and all the services provided. They're leaving their money behind and we like that and we need to have more of it and we will,” Way said.
The study found that 75 percent of arts and culture visitors believe the venues are an important pillar within the community.
“It has been my life’s mission to watch this city grow. It's important to finally receive awards for the work we've done,” said Greensboro Poet Laureate Josephus Thompson III. “For a long time I felt that it was very difficult for artists to develop in the city…Now certain funding has been made available specifically for artists to invest in their art form to grow, present and learn.”
It is not only a surviving arts and cultural community, but also one that is thriving.
“If we continue to focus on doing the things we need to do, meeting our community where they are, meeting their needs and asking them, 'What would you like to see?' And then if we do the internal work to make sure we are strong, sustainable and fiscally responsible, we will be fine,” Way said.
While the majority of event attendees are from Guilford County, about 40 percent traveled here, making it an arts and culture destination.
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