The local arts and culture scene generates about $177 million in economic activity, according to a new study presented by the Arts Council of Park City & Summit County.
That’s more than Savannah, Georgia, and Boulder, Colorado, as well as the combined totals for Flagstaff and Sedona in Arizona, and Santa Cruz County and Laguna Beach in California.
The Arts Council partnered with Americans for the Arts, a nonprofit organization committed to advancing the arts and arts education, to participate in the Arts & Economic Prosperity Study for the first time. The study, in its sixth iteration, is intended to demonstrate the significant economic and social benefits of arts and culture in local communities across the nation. It represented 373 regions across all 50 states and Puerto Rico.
Jocelyn Scudder, the executive director of the Arts Council, said the nonprofit collected data from more than 750 events and at least 20 organizations in Summit County to document the industry’s contributions. About 59% of visitors were nonlocal compared to 41% residents.
“So what this study does, especially since it was so widely and broadly surveyed, it helps out community better understand the contributions of arts and culture from this economic and social benefit perspective, and supports our local advocacy efforts for increased investments,” Scudder said. “Arts and culture is truly a critical piece of life here in Summit County for both residents and visitors.”
Summit County added $176.8 million to the local economy through arts and culture events in 2022, bringing in more than $6.5 million in local tax revenue and supporting 2,000 jobs. Thousands of volunteers also donated 46,000 hours of time to 20 Summit County organizations, valued at an estimated $1.4 million.
Jake McIntyre, a data specialist for the Arts Council, explained that’s about 17% of the total industry spend in Utah.
Attendees in Summit County spent around $84 per person per event on average, with tourists usually spending more than locals. The cost doesn’t include the cost of admission or data from the Sundance Film Festival. The film festival alone generated $126 million in visitor spending in 2023, skewing the overall data.
To compare, Salt Lake City generates about $512 million in economic activity while Salt Lake County creates $593 million. Arts and culture brings in about $31 million in Cache County and $13 million in Davis County.
Around 75% of arts and culture attendees in Summit County said they would feel a great sense of loss if the activity or venue were no longer available, and 85% said the event promoted a sense of pride in the neighborhood. Almost 70% agreed the facility where they were surveyed is an important community pillar.
Scudder said the data shows Summit County is outpacing communities in similar areas or with comparable populations, opening up the potential for further economic activity.
“I think the biggest takeaways for me and for the Arts Council generally is, first of all, our local arts and culture organizations are powerhouses in this community. They contribute not only to the social well being of our community, but are also economic drivers here in Summit County,” she said.