From Rebecca Cruse

Deputy Director, SDAC

605.773.5084

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan 4, 2024

ARTS & CULTURE BUSINESSES IMPACT SOUTH DAKOTA’S ECONOMY

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota's nonprofit arts and culture industry generated $363 million in economic activity in 2022. This is according to Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6), an economic and social impact study conducted by Americans for the Arts with support from the South Dakota Arts Council, Arts South Dakota, and local arts agencies in Aberdeen, Brookings, Rapid City, Sioux Falls, and Yankton.

The reported economic activity supported more than 6,000 jobs, paid $196.4 million in personal income to South Dakota residents and generated $52 million in local, state, and federal government revenue. The nonprofit arts and culture industry generated $63.7 million in spending by nonprofit arts and culture organizations and $299.3 million in event-related spending by their audiences.

AEP6 uses a rigorous methodology to document the economic and social contributions of the nation’s nonprofit arts and culture industry and has a 30-year legacy as the largest and most inclusive study of its kind. The study shows that arts and culture are a critical economic driver of dynamic communities across the nation.

Arts and culture organizations are businesses. They employ people locally, purchase supplies and services locally, and produce the authentic cultural experiences that are magnets for visitors, tourists, and new residents. The very act of creating, presenting, exhibiting, and engaging has a positive economic impact on the community.

Patrick Baker, Executive Director of the South Dakota Arts Council, says, “through our grantmaking initiatives, supporting programs and projects in communities across the state, we’ve seen the value of public investment in the arts. Even a small investment yields a huge return that spans from economic benefits to community health and wellness. Vibrant arts communities are healthier communities across a broad range of indicators.”

The arts continue to play a vital role in South Dakota’s tourism economy as well.

James Hagen, Secretary of the South Dakota Department of Tourism, said, “the updated data clearly demonstrates the importance that arts-related tourism has on our communities and in the lives of citizens and visitors. Through the Arts in Economic Prosperity research, we can see that arts-interested travelers spend a significant amount of time and money in our state, which reinforces our investment in promoting South Dakota’s arts and cultural opportunities.”

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

The South Dakota Arts Council is a state agency providing grants and services to artists, arts organizations, schools, and other nonprofit organizations in South Dakota with funds from the National Endowment for the Arts and the State of South Dakota. The agency is organized under the Department of Tourism.

The South Dakota Department of Tourism is comprised of Travel South Dakota and the South Dakota Arts Council. The Department is led by Secretary James D. Hagen.

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To read the full report for South Dakota and participating communities, visit https://artssouthdakota.org/aep6/. For the full national report, visit AEP6.AmericansForTheArts.org.