Oregon Arts Commission to visit Eastern Oregon next month
By Terry Murry on Wednesday, August 21st, 2024 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
SALEM – (News release from the Oregon Arts Commission) The economic impact of arts and culture in Eastern Oregon will be showcased during a Sept. 16-19 tour sharing the results of Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6), a study led by Americans for the Arts. The study, released in October, revealed conducted Oregon’s arts and culture sector contributed $829 million to Oregon’s economy in fiscal year 2022. It includes data from 19 Oregon regions and communities. Oregon’s study was supported in part by Travel Oregon.
Randy Cohen, the vice president of research for Americans for the Arts, will visit six Eastern Oregon communities to share local and statewide results and discuss the data (see itinerary below). Cohen did a nine-stop tour covering other parts of the state in November.
“This study highlights the significant impact of artists and cultural organizations on local economies,” said Sophorn Cheang, director of Business Oregon. “Prosperous local economies lead to a prosperous statewide economy, and this study shows how arts and culture can impact job creation and business growth throughout Oregon.”
Nationally, AEP6 reveals that America’s nonprofit arts and culture sector is a $151.7 billion industry – one that supports 2.6 million jobs and generates $29.1 billion in government revenue.
Oregon’s data reveals that 8.9 million attendees of arts and culture events across Oregon spent an average of $39 per event for a total expenditure of $330,920,191, excluding the cost of the admission ticket. Event spending includes meals, parking, souvenirs, babysitting and hotel stays. Close to one million of the attendees were visitors.
“Travel Oregon is pleased to support the Oregon Arts Commission’s efforts to measure the role the arts play in Oregon’s economy,” says Todd Davidson, CEO of Travel Oregon. “Authentic arts and cultural experiences attract visitors from across the state and beyond to support our local communities. Arts travelers visit throughout the year, staying longer and spending more on travel, solidifying the arts as an important economic driver across the state of Oregon.”
“This is the most comprehensive data we’ve ever had on how vital arts and culture are to Oregon’s statewide economic prosperity,” said Brian Rogers, Oregon Arts Commission executive director. “Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 is evidence that the nonprofit arts and culture sector is a significant industry in the State of Oregon. It sends a strong signal that when we support the arts, we not only enhance our quality of life, but we also invest in the State of Oregon’s economic well-being and visibility.”
With support from Travel Oregon, 19 Oregon communities participated in gathering data, with 13,342 surveys collected at local arts and culture events.
The Eastern Oregon regions and partners are:
City of Pendleton: City of Pendleton and Pendleton Center for the Arts
Eastern Oregon Border Region: Ontario, Vale, Nyssa/City of Ontario and Four Rivers Cultural Center
Harney County: PMC Arts and Culture Foundation
Northeast: Northeast Oregon Economic Development District, Crossroads Carnegie Arts Center, Josephy Center for Arts and Culture and Art Center East
The Gorge: The Dalles Art Center, Columbia Center for the Arts and Columbia Gorge Tourism Alliance
For the first time, AEP6 expands beyond the economic and financial data to include social impact measurements of arts and culture’s effect on the well-being of communities and residents. Responses to questions revealed that 89.3 percent of respondents agreed with the statement: “This activity or venue is inspiring a sense of pride in this neighborhood or community.” And 87.2 percent of respondents agreed with: “I would feel a great sense of loss if this activity or venue were no longer available.”
Spending by arts and cultural organizations and audience members in the Portland Metro area was $456.5 million; spending in the city of Eugene totaled $123.8 million.
Arts Commissioner Roberta Lavadour championed Pendleton’s participation. ”It seems as if there’s always something going on in Pendleton, whether it’s celebrating music, art, Native culture or western culture,” she said. “To see the hard numbers in terms of the dollars that these activities bring to the community is both gratifying and humbling. This data will be a great tool for showing businesses, individuals, and governmental entities why support for art and culture activities isn’t just a feel-good exercise, but that it makes sound economic sense,” Lavadour added.
A summary of findings for each of the Oregon regions and cities that participated are posted on the Americans for the Arts website (search for OR).
The itinerary for Cohen’s AEP6 presentations in Eastern Oregon is:
Monday, Sept. 16
• Ontario: 10 a.m. (Mountain time), Four Rivers Cultural Center
• Baker City: 1 p.m., Crossroads Carnegie Art Center
Tuesday, Sept 17
• Joseph: 5:30 p.m., Josephy Center for Arts and Culture
Wednesday, Sept 18
• La Grande: 10 a.m., Press Room Coffee and Books
• Pendleton: 2 p.m., Pendleton Center for Arts
Thursday, Sept. 19
• Hood River: 12 p.m., Columbia Center for the Arts T
he Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 Study was conducted by Americans for the Arts and supported by the Ruth Lilly Fund of the Americans for the Arts. Local, regional and statewide partners, such as the Oregon Arts Commission and its 19 survey partners, contributed time and financial support to the study. A full list of the 373 communities who participated in the study is posted on the Americans for the Arts website.
