Kansas City’s Post-Pandemic Art Sector Revival Boosts Economy

Post-pandemic arts recovery stokes Kansas City economy

A revitalized arts and culture sector is proving to be a major economic catalyst for Kansas City in the wake of the global pandemic. A new report shows the nonprofit arts and culture in the region have made a strong comeback, contributing significantly to the local economy.

A report from ArtsKC – Regional Arts Council and Americans for the Arts discloses how the nonprofit arts generated $615 million in spending in the Kansas City area during fiscal year 2022, substantiated by survey responses from 267 organizations that hosted 4.5 million attendees. This colossal figure comprises $435 million spent by organizations and $180 million from audience expenditures.

Economic and Social Impact

The restoration of the arts scene has had a noticeable ripple effect on job creation in the region. According to the report, the nonprofit arts supported 8,977 jobs in the Kansas City area in 2022, demonstrating the vital role of arts not just in uplifting spirits but in sustaining livelihoods. Besides, the flourishing art and culture scene generated $97.5 million in local, state, and federal government revenue, underscoring the remarkable economic benefits attached to this sector.

Attendees at a fundraising arts event in Kansas City severed more dough from their wallet than just the cost of the admission. The average person spent an additional $37.06 on related expenses such as food, drink, transport, clothing, and childcare. Notably, 13% of these attendees traveled from outside the five-county region, their total event-related spending averaged at $60.37. 79% proclaimed that the arts event was the main reason for their visit, thereby attesting to the pull of the city’s cultural offerings.

Social Impact and Recognition

Besides financial benefits, the arts also fostered a sense of community and understanding. Eighty-nine percent of surveyed attendees admitted that arts and culture inspire a sense of pride, while seventy-two percent echoed that these events provide shared experiences with people of other races, ethnicities, ages, and beliefs.

In the national scheme of things, the resurgence of arts in Kansas City has not gone unnoticed. The city is one of 373 communities included in the “Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6),” an initiative by Americans for the Arts that assesses the economic impact of the nonprofit arts and culture industry. The Kansas City area emerged as a strong performer, surpassing the median when compared with regions of similar population size.

Lighting the Way Forward

ArtsKC, an organization dedicated to promoting and advocating for the arts in Kansas City, has been instrumental in this resurgence. Its programs directly benefit more than 437,000 people and indirectly over 1.8 million people through ArtsKC-supported organizations.

This robust recovery reaffirms that investing in the arts transcends cultural benefits, it is also a boon to local economies and businesses. As economies worldwide continue to grapple with the effects of the pandemic, Kansas City serves as a shining example of harnessing the power of the arts for sustainable recovery and growth.