According to a report in Gulf Islands Driftwood, a new study in Vancouver indicates that the arts sector brings in nearly $1 billion to the region, and that its community of artists has grown by nearly five times.
Digital Innovation Group executed the study through interviews, surveys and focus groups. The researchers assert that Vancouver is an “arts super region” with 35,000 full-time and amateur creatives, 25 arts councils, $910 million of economic impact in 2019, which contributed $676 million in GDP and led to 21,920 full-time jobs.
Yael Wand, Executive Director of Salt Spring Arts, asserts that the report is valuable information that provides metrics for the local economy.
“Nobody in the arts likes to talk about economic impact, because nobody in the arts is doing it for money,” she said. “We all know it, intrinsically, but attaching economics to arts is almost an antithesis to the point of why people are in the arts.”
Although it is true that some creatives would prefer not to discuss the economic impacts their works may be creating, Wand agreed that the information is helpful in the sense that it provides data that can inform arts organizations how to conduct their operations, particularly when it comes to outreach for expanding a brand or audience.
The report states that 1.2 million “cultural tourists” visited the region and were patrons to the arts, and their economic activities were more developed than other sectors.
Ninety-five percent of businesses contributing to surveys believe that the arts sector makes the region a better place to live. In 2019, at least $400 million was spent at local businesses due to the arts sector.
A brief follow-up study indicates that the pandemic in 2020 and 2021 still generated economic activity; however, much of which were taking place online because it was too much of a public health risk for them to take places in physical locations.
In response to the region being an economic paradigm, Wand stated “the truth is that our community relies on that reputation but it doesn’t invest back in that reputation.” Wand believes it’s difficult to reinvest in the arts specifically because the sector is connected to the tourism sector where patrons are more likely to experience the arts while on a cruise than in any other area.
“When people come up with new creative ways to support business and culture, unfortunately our island isn’t always friendly to those new ideas and new ways, and isn’t always flexible enough to see the value and to make sure those things can thrive,” she said.
Wand pinpointed that a housing crisis is adversely affecting the artists who are trying to develop their own communities within the region and that despite the economic activity this remains a significant problem.
Even though the pandemic has presented many issues, Wand and others in the area are optimistic about the recent re-opening of venues that feature fine and performing arts events.
The study was funded by the Canada Council for the Arts in conjunction with Nordicity (consultation firm) and distributed by Digital Innovation Group. The study was presented Oct. 27-28, 2021 at Vancouver Island Economic Alliance Summit.