Groundbreaking Study Reveals $204.1 Million Impact of Nonprofit Arts and Culture Sector on Rapid City Economy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 24, 2023
 
Groundbreaking Study Reveals $204.1 Million Impact of Nonprofit Arts and Culture Sector on Rapid City Economy
 
Rapid City, South Dakota - The Rapid City Arts Council today announced that Rapid City nonprofit arts and culture organizations generated $204.1 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 in partnership with the Rapid City Arts Council and Arts South Dakota.

That economic activity—$20.9 million in spending by arts and culture organizations and an additional $183.2 million in event-related expenditures by their audiences supported 3,296 jobs, provided $106.2 million in personal income to residents, and generated $29.4 million in revenue to local, state, and federal governments.
Building on its 30-year legacy as the largest and most inclusive study of its kind, AEP6 uses a rigorous methodology to document the economic and social contributions of the nation’s nonprofit arts and culture industry. The study demonstrates locally as well as nationally, arts and culture are a critical economic driver of vibrant communities. 
“We are proud to have partnered with 23 local arts and culture organizations in this pivotal economic impact study, which reveals a staggering contribution of $204M to Rapid City's local economy,” said Jacqui Dietrich, executive director of the Rapid City Arts Council. “This figure underscores the undeniable fusion of economic and social values that the arts and culture infuse into our community, emphasizing that their worth goes beyond the monetary—this shapes the soul of our community and our quality of life."
Nationally, the Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6) study 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.
 
“Arts and culture organizations have a powerful ability to attract and hold dollars in the community longer. They employ people locally, purchase goods and services from nearby businesses, and produce the authentic cultural experiences that are magnets for visitors, tourists, and new residents,” said Nolen V. Bivens, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. “When we invest in nonprofit arts and culture, we strengthen our economy and build more livable communities.”
 
AEP6 represents a reset from the previous versions the Rapid City Arts Council participated in, establishing a new benchmark in the AEP study series. 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.
 
Key figures from Rapid City’s AEP6 study include:

• Rapid City’s nonprofit arts and culture industry generates $183,171,928 in event-related spending by its audiences.
• The typical attendee spends $56.80 per person per event, not including the cost of admission.
• 23% of arts and culture attendees were from outside the county in which the activity took place. They spent an average of $96.38. All vital income for local merchants.
• 88.3% of respondents agreed that the activity or venue they were attending was “a source of neighborhood pride for the community.” 
• 88.8% said they would “feel a sense of loss if that activity or venue was no longer available.”

 
By measuring arts and culture’s wide-ranging impact, public and private sector leaders can work together to secure funding and arts-friendly policies that shape more vibrant and equitable communities.
Rapid City’s full report and the two-page economic impact summary as well as the national findings can be found at rapidcityartscouncil.org/aep6.
 
###
 
The mission of the Rapid City Arts Council (RCAC) is to champion inclusive, innovative, and inspiring arts opportunities to enrich the communities we serve. This organization was founded in 1968 by visionary artists and art enthusiasts, and in 1987, RCAC became the official partner in expanding the city’s arts and cultural resources. Since 1974, RCAC has been the proud manager of the Dahl Arts Center (thedahl.org), a civic resource owned by the City of Rapid City. RCAC is dedicated to advocating for the arts and amplifying the artistic voices of the region and offers a wide range of public arts programs, including exhibitions, live performances, and educational classes. This important work is made possible through the generous contributions of individual donors and organizations including the Black Hills Area Community Foundation, John T. Vucurevich Foundation, South Dakota Community Foundation, and the South Dakota Arts Council with funds from the State of South Dakota through the Department of Tourism and the National Endowment for the Arts. Learn more at rapidcityartscouncil.org.
 
The Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 study was conducted by Americans for the Arts, the nation's leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education. It was supported by The Ruth Lilly Endowment Fund of Americans for the Arts. Americans for the Arts' 297 study partners contributed both time and financial support to the study. For a full list of the communities who participated in the Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 study, visit AEP6.AmericansForTheArts.org.
 
MEDIA CONTACT:
Maggie Jean Wince
Marketing Director, Rapid City Arts Council
[email protected]
605.394.4101 x5​