According to a new study, Houston’s vibrant arts scene contributes substantially to the local economy (via Houston Business Journal):
“The Business of the Arts: A Look into The Economic Impact of the Arts on the Houston Region” showed that in 2004, the nonprofit arts in Houston brought in $626.3 million, supported 14,115 full-time jobs and generated $69.5 million in local and state government revenue.
[snip]
The study also found that the 9.2 million people who said they attended
an arts and cultural event in 2004 was twice the number of people attending events related to Houston’s three major league professional sports teams in 2005.The 1.6 million visitors to Houston who attended cultural events in 2004 spent $132 million in addition to the cost of their tickets, the survey found.
“Houston is not just a good places for the arts, it is one of the best,” said Larry Faulkner, president of Houston Endowment Inc., a philanthropic institution founded in 1937 by Jesse and Mary Gibbs Jones.
“The arts are a powerful business asset and one we need to have for Houston to remain a leading city in the future and to keep its extraordinary economic vitality,” he said.
Hear, hear!
