Writer: Esteban Pages
2 min read November 2023 — Broward County’s growing arts and culture vibrancy is not only noticeable once you visit, it is also quantifiable.
Nonprofit organization Americans for the Arts recently released Broward County’s “Arts & Economic Prosperity 6,” a study measuring the economic and social impact of nonprofit arts & culture organizations and their audiences.
In 2022 alone, Broward’s arts and culture industry generated $386 million in economic activity. Spending at arts and culture organizations amounted to $138.8 million while $247.8 million in event-related expenditures were amassed. This economic activity supported 6,718 jobs and provided $267.1 million in personal income to residents. On the tax side of the equation, local, state and federal governments received $80.1 million in tax revenue.
A rich and diverse arts and culture offering also acts as a visitation driver. Out of Broward’s 5.8 million attendees in 2022, 1.5 million were nonlocal and spent, on average, $57.43 per person per event. In aggregate, the county saw a total event-related spending of $94 million by nonlocal attendees alone. Adding the expenditure of local attendees, the amount soars to nearly $248 million.
“One thing that contributes to our ability to thrive in Broward County is the diversity of the market that we serve. The South Florida market is huge but it contains many smaller, diverse markets layered on top of each other with blurry boundaries. This aspect enables us to do various types of performances that might not do as well in other markets in the U.S. Almost anything can work here if you just find a way to connect to the audience and make sure they know that an artist they might be interested in is present. That means we have more breadth among our audience and our offerings than a lot of markets throughout the country, which makes us stronger. The performing arts are clearly thriving here,” said Kelley Shanley, president and CEO of the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in an interview with Invest:.
The Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Hard Rock Live, and the Amerant Bank Arena are local arts and culture landmarks acting as active promoters to a plethora of Broadway shows, jazz concerts and arts festivals.
For museum enthusiasts, the region is home to History Fort Lauderdale, the Museum of Discovery & Science, the NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood’s Arts and Culture Center, the Coral Springs Museum of Art or the Wiener Museum of Decorative Arts (WMODA).
Broward’s latest addition to its arts and culture scene will be the West Broward Cultural Center. The venue is posed to feature musical performances, plays and presentations. Slated for a grand opening in 2026, County Commissioner Steve Geller is convinced it will act as a “hub of creativity.” It is also a testament to the local efforts pushing public art to an ever larger audience, supporting local artists and promoting events.
“There is a lot of great leadership in the arts and tourism sectors in Broward County. These leaders are giving a lot of thought to what is next but also recognize that the world is changing. We need to think differently and look for new opportunities in terms of how people enjoy and consume art. We need to explore the ways that we can connect to other people in our community in a meaningful way,” said Shanley.
For more information, please visit:
https://www.americansforthearts.org/
