A national study has found that arts and culture have made significant contributions to the Wichita economy. An Economic Prosperity Study was conducted by the organization Americans for the Arts.
The study said the arts generated $184.7 million in economic activity in 2022. That involved $78.5 million in spending by arts and culture organizations and another $106.2 million in event-related spending by audiences. The arts and culture industry supported 2,929 jobs, provided $108.8 million in personal income to residents and generated $32.3 million in tax revenue for local, state and federal government.
The study found that audiences spend an average of $40.75 per person, per event, which does not include the cost of admission to events or food and beverages purchased during events.
There was a separate focus on organizations and events that serve Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and African, Latinx, Asian, Arab, and Native American communities. The average per-person spending for anyone attending a People of Color or Native American organization event was $37.15.
In 2015, the study found that the arts and culture sector generated $94.7 million annually in total economic activity and supported 2,841 full-time jobs in Wichita.
Wichita’s director of arts and cultural services, Lindsay Benacka, said in a press release that the survey found significant growth in the economic impact of the arts and culture sector. She said not only has the sector weathered the downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but Wichita is thriving in comparison to peer cities around the country.
