As evidence continues to mount that the arts are a critical factor to the health of our national and local economies, support at the national, state, and local levels is on the rise.
Critical data, gathered by Americans for the Arts (AFTA) and based on numbers provided by Dun and Bradstreet, demonstrate that the arts are not only a significant economic driver, but also that the creative industries are the fastest growing segment of our nation's economy.
The evidence is so overwhelming that on December 26, President Bush signed an appropriations bill for 2008 that included $144.7 million for the National Endowment for the Arts, the largest increase in the appropriations bill since 1979.
In a support letter defending that funding, the Congressional Arts Caucus, co-chaired by Representative Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) and Representative Chris Shays (R-Conn.) and signed by 161 members, including Ben Chandler and John Yarmuth of Kentucky, stated, "The nonprofit arts industry alone generates $134 billion annually in economic activity, supporting $4.85 million full-time equivalent jobs and returning $10.5 billion to the federal government in income taxes - that is an 8:1 return."
The source for this information is two studies issued by Americans for the Arts, Arts and Economic Prosperity III and the Creative Industries Report.
The Creative Industries Report is a powerful geo-political advocacy tool based on Dun and Bradstreet data about both nonprofit and for-profit arts organizations and their impact on our nation's economy. It is the first national study of its kind that has served to increase awareness of the growing importance of the arts industry.
Creative Industries Report
AFTA defines the creative industries as comprised of businesses that serve in the production of or distribution of the arts, "arts-centric" businesses such as non-profit organizations, museums, symphonies, theaters, for-profit film, architecture and advertising companies as well as individual artists.
The report states that, "Nationally, there are 546,558 businesses in the U.S. involved in the creation or distribution of the arts that employ 2.7 million people - 4.2 percent of all businesses and 2.0 percent of all employees."
The Sixth Congressional District (U.S. Representative Ben Chandler) in Kentucky has approximately 1,137 arts-related businesses (an increase from the 1,116 arts-related businesses registered in 2006) that employ approximately 5,193 people - or does it? Are you included in these statistics? Not likely, if you do not have a D&B D-U-N-S Number.
What is a D-U-N-S Number?
A D-U-N-S number is a unique identifier created by Dun and Bradstreet. It is a number that has become a standard in our global business community that is recognized and recommended by the United Nations, the U.S. Federal Government, the Australian Government, and the European Commission.
Arts-related businesses that hold a D-U-N-S number also get a Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code.†According to AFTA, this code identifies arts industry sub-categories such as: arts council, government agency, museum, arts or science center, art gallery, art school, symphony, orchestra, summer theater, opera company, theatrical company.
Those that conceived of the Creative Industries Report, utilize the report, or just carry it under their arm all know that the numbers are impressive, but more importantly, it is too conservative, as it under-represents nonprofit arts organizations and individual artists.
"If you are self-employed, you count, so an individual painter can be counted within that study Ö We're encouraging all individual artists and all the small groups to make sure that they have a D-U-N-S number so that they can be counted on an annual basis," stated Jim Clark, president of LexArts.
The AFTA Creative Industries data is collected annually and is our proof that the arts are alive and well. So, sign up and let's give the nation a better picture of what's going on in and around Lexington.