North Dakota’s nonprofit arts and culture industry generated $151.8 million in economic activity in 2022, according to the newly released Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6), an economic and social impact study conducted by Americans for the Arts.

That economic activity included $70.8 million in spending by nonprofit arts and culture organizations and $81.0 million in event-related spending by their audiences, which supported 3,335 jobs and generated $26.1 million in local, state and federal government revenue, the report indicated.

“Being able to have real data showing the impact of the arts in terms of real, hard numbers, is incredibly important, particularly in our rural region,” said Justin Anderson, executive director of Minot Area Council of the Arts. “Not only are we able to tell our stories, now we can bring real dollars as a part of it. The arts sector in North Dakota can also now boast an impressive increase in activity since the last survey in 2015, and considering many of us are still building audiences post-COVID, that is truly an impressive statistic.”

Kim Konikow, executive director for the North Dakota Council on the Arts, said the Minot Council of the Arts, Arts Partnership in Fargo, Jamestown Arts Center, Bismarck’s Dakota West Arts Council partnered on the statewide project. In addition, NDCA gathered data from the Grand Forks area, western N.D. cities, as well as many rural communities.

“Together we learned that the arts have value – and a significant economic impact,” Konikow said.

Nationally, the Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6) study reveals that America’s nonprofit arts and culture sector is a $151.7 billion industry that supports 2.6 million jobs and generates $29.1 billion in government revenue.

Key figures from North Dakota’s AEP6 study include:

– Attendees spend $32.50 per person per event, beyond the cost of admission.

– 27% of attendees are nonlocal visitors who traveled from outside the state; They spend an average of $38.

– 90.9% of arts and culture attendees agree that the activity or venue where they were surveyed “is inspiring a sense of pride in this neighborhood or community.”

– 87.8% agree “I would feel a great sense of loss if this activity or venue were no longer available.”

– 83.9% agree the venue or facility where they were surveyed is “an important pillar for me within my community.”