In its fourth edition, Creative Many’s Creative State Michigan report details the impact Michigan’s arts and cultural nonprofit organizations have on the state’s economy and citizens using CDP data. The report represents Fiscal Year 2012 data from 407 nonprofit arts and cultural organizations – representing an estimated 18 percent of the sector. Among its most compelling data, the report affirms the creative economy as a significant financial contributor and strategic opportunity for Michigan’s economic development. Of the nearly $596 million in annual expenditures by the nonprofit creative community in 2012 (which exceeds 2011 contributions), nearly $200 million supported salaries for 25,900 jobs. Organizations contributed more than $15 million in the employer portion of the payroll tax and nearly $1 million in state sales tax revenues. 

Michigan’s arts and cultural destinations continue to demonstrate their essential value to the state’s tourism industry, generating nearly $2.5 billion in state tourism revenues in 2012. That represents 18 percent of the state’s total tourism revenues in that year – more than sporting events, golf, boating and sailing, hunting and fishing, and hiking and biking combined.

The report also provides indicators for the resources the arts provide for Michigan’s schools and children, as well as residents of all ages. In 2012, nearly 3 million students benefited from educational programs and events offered by arts and cultural venues statewide. These same organizations facilitated 24,995 school group visits and 18,092 offsite school programs providing valuable educational experiences at a time when businesses continue to increase the value of creativity and innovation in the workplace while many schools across Michigan have cut funding for arts programs. Michigan’s cultural groups are reaching growing audiences, reporting more than 25.7 million visits in 2012, 68 percent of which were free of charge.

Read the full report.