• In 2022, our local nonprofit arts + creative industry generated $98.3 Million in economic activity, supporting 1,567 jobs and generating $17.4 Million in local, state, and federal government revenues.

• Washtenaw County's arts + creative audiences also delivered $51.9 Million in event-related spending, an economic benefit few other industries can compete with.

• For the first time, AEP6 also reveals social impact results for Washtenaw County, including measurements of arts + creativity’s effect on the well-being of communities and residents.

Here are more key takeawys from the report.

• Nonprofit arts + creative organizations are businesses. They employ people locally, purchase supplies and services from nearby businesses, and engage in the marketing and promotion of their cities and regions. Their very act of doing business—creating, presenting, exhibiting, engaging—has a positive economic impact and improves community well-being. In Washtenaw County, nonprofit arts and culture organizations spent an estimated $46.5 million which supported 916 jobs and generated $10.4 million in local, state, and federal government revenue.
• Arts + creative drives commerce to local businesses. When people attend a cultural event, they often make an outing of it—dining at a restaurant, paying for parking or public transportation, enjoying dessert after the show, and returning home to pay for child or pet care. Overall, in Washtenaw County, attendees spend $34.96 per person per event, beyond the cost of admission. These dollars represent vital income for local merchants and a value-add with which few industries can compete.
• Arts + creativity strengthens the visitor economy. In Washtenaw County, 31.9% of attendees are nonlocal visitors who traveled from outside Washtenaw County; they spend an average of $52.12. Additionally, 83.3% of nonlocal attendees reported that the primary purpose of their visit was specifically to attend the performance, event, exhibit, venue, or facility where they were surveyed.
• A vibrant arts + creative community keeps local residents—and their discretionary dollars—in the community. When attendees were asked what they would have done if the event where they were surveyed had not been available, 43.3% of attendees who live in Washtenaw County said they would have “traveled to a different community to attend a similar arts or cultural activity.”
• Arts + creative organizations contribute to community pride in Washtenaw County.
  • 88.6% of arts + creative attendees agree that the activity or venue where they were surveyed “is inspiring a sense of pride in this neighborhood or community.”
  • 86.2% agree that “I would feel a great sense of loss if this activity or venue were no longer available.”
  • 79.9% agree that the venue or facility where they were surveyed is “an important pillar for me within my community.”

Download the full Washtenaw County report.

Download the full nationwide report.

Download the one-page Washtenaw County fact sheet.