New Information Present Financial Exercise of the U.S. Arts & Cultural Sector in 2021

Washington, DC— The Nationwide Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Bureau of Financial Evaluation (BEA) launched information as we speak that show the numerous contribution of the humanities and cultural industries to U.S. GDP in 2021 whereas additionally capturing the continued influence of the pandemic on the sector. The Arts and Cultural Manufacturing Satellite tv for pc Account (ACPSA) tracks the annual financial worth of arts and cultural manufacturing from 35 industries—together with each business and nonprofit entities. The 2021 information pinpoint the nationwide and state-level contributions of the humanities and cultural sector to the nation’s economic system after the primary 12 months of COVID-19.

Evaluation reveals that whereas the full financial worth added by arts and cultural industries grew by 13.7 % from 2020-2021, a number of core arts industries didn’t return to pre-pandemic manufacturing ranges. This group contains impartial artists (as an business), performing arts organizations (e.g., theater, dance, and opera firms, music teams; and circuses), and arts-related development, amongst many others. Regardless of setbacks for these industries, the general arts economic system in 2021 represented 4.4 % of GDP, or simply over $1.0 trillion—a brand new high-water mark. 

Moreover, in 2021, slightly below 4.9 million employees had been employed to supply arts and cultural items and providers, which is lower than the 2019 (pre-pandemic) degree of 5.2 million however greater than the 2020 degree of 4.6 million employees.

“This annual report from the NEA and BEA underscores that arts and tradition are an important a part of the American economic system. It’s equally obvious, nevertheless, that the sector nonetheless faces great hardships on account of COVID-19,” mentioned NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. “As a result of the information mirror the financial exercise of nonprofit and for-profit organizations alike, it’s necessary to acknowledge the distinctive contributions each make in guaranteeing a vibrant and expansive arts and cultural sector.”

A nationwide abstract report and an accompanying interactive graphic can be found on arts.gov. As well as, the NEA has developed a state-level abstract report outlining the worth added by arts and cultural industries to states’ economies, in addition to an interactive map with state-level estimates of arts and cultural value-added, employment, and compensation figures derived from the ACPSA. 

For added state-level sources, BEA has produced ACPSA truth sheets for every state, and, in partnership with the NEA, the Nationwide Meeting of State Arts Companies has created an interactive dashboard by state.

Highlights from the Nationwide Report—Arts and Cultural Financial Exercise

Between 2020 and 2021, the full financial worth added by arts and cultural industries grew by 13.7 %. This surpasses the rise of the full U.S. economic system, which grew by 5.9 % in the identical interval.

By way of financial exercise, 22 of the 35 arts industries returned to or exceeded pre-pandemic ranges. Net publishing and streaming providers, for the primary time, is the biggest arts and cultural business within the U.S.; it grew by 27.3 % from 2020 to 2021, for a complete financial contribution of $171.3 billion (adjusted for inflation). Composed largely of for-profit institutions, it was additionally the one arts business to expertise vital development in 2020. (Based on 2020 information from the U.S. Census Bureau’s County Enterprise Patterns, solely 18 % of institutions on this business are nonprofit.) The business contains web publishing and broadcasting, music archives, movie archives, comedian syndicates, and information photograph distribution providers.  

Different industries that noticed development from 2019 and 2020 included conventional and software program publishing, arts retail, artistic promoting, specialised design providers, and non-government-run museums.

The movement image business returned to the pre-pandemic (2019) degree—it contributed practically $68.9 billion in 2021, after a 14 % dip in 2020. Performing arts presenters (reminiscent of performing arts venues and festivals) contributed simply over $14.3 billion to the economic system (a 122 % rise from 2020), bringing the business barely over the 2019 degree.

Ten industries noticed positive aspects in 2021 however haven’t returned to 2019 ranges. This group contains impartial writers, artists, and performers; performing arts organizations; theatrical ticket businesses; musical instrument producers and wonderful arts schooling (excluding public colleges).

Two industries that noticed persistent declines from 2019 by way of 2021 are arts-related development, reminiscent of the development and renovation of libraries, museums, and different cultural services; and philanthropic providers, which incorporates grantmaking and giving.

Highlights from the Nationwide Report—Arts and Cultural Employment

ACPSA additionally tracks employment in arts and cultural industries. In 2021, slightly below 4.9 million employees had been employed to supply arts and cultural items and providers, for $504.2 billion in complete compensation. That is nonetheless lower than the 2019 (pre-pandemic) degree of 5.2 million jobs. Among the many arts and cultural industries that had been the toughest hit in 2019—movement photos, performing arts organizations, and performing arts presenters—many confirmed appreciable development in jobs from 2020 to 2021, however didn’t return to pre-pandemic employment ranges. 

The fastest-growing arts and cultural business from 2020 to 2021—when it comes to employment—was movement photos, which noticed a 23 % enhance (as much as 326,000 employees) from the earlier 12 months. In 2019, nevertheless, the business employed 394,000 employees. 

The variety of employees employed by performing arts-related industries—together with performing arts organizations; performing arts presenters; brokers or managers; and impartial artists, writers, and performers—grew by 14.4 % in 2020-2021, as much as 230,000 employees. But these industries employed a complete of 323,000 employees in 2019.

The ACPSA figures on business employment exclude self-employed employees, who nonetheless contribute to the financial worth reported for all arts and cultural industries. Earlier NEA analysis has proven repeatedly that artists particularly are way more seemingly than different employees to be self-employed.

Highlights from the Nationwide Report—Imports and Exports

The ACPSA additionally presents insights into the imports and exports of arts and cultural items and providers. The humanities and cultural commerce surplus shrank in 2021—$17.8 billion, in contrast with $28.5 billion in 2020 and $31.5 billion in 2019. The 2020-2021 distinction was due partly to a higher import worth for arts and cultural items and providers than in prior years. 

Prime imports in 2021 included jewellery and silverware ($20.6 billion), different manufactured items reminiscent of glass and china ($11.4 billion), and audio/visible manufacturing providers for TV and films ($9.7 billion). In 2021, lead arts export commodities included artistic promoting ($19.3 billion in exports), data providers reminiscent of audio/visible manufacturing for TV and films ($14.4 billion), and humanities‐associated software program publishing ($9.9 billion).

Highlights from the State-Stage Report

Though 49 states have seen will increase in arts and cultural employment from 2020 to 2021, no state has reached its 2019 degree. 

The ACPSA state-level dataset reveals that between 2020 and 2021, each state and the District of Columbia noticed development in worth added to their economies from arts and cultural industries, with 31 states and DC exhibiting a minimum of a ten % enhance within the arts as a share of gross state product (GSP). Within the case of 47 states and D.C., the financial worth from arts and tradition surpassed 2019 ranges.