DataArts (formerly The Cultural Data Project) is proud to have contributed its services to The Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone (UMEZ) recent report ' Leveraging the Power of Cultural Investments.' This report covers UMEZ's investments in the nonprofit cultural sector of Upper Manhattan. Some of the most recognized arts institutions in the world (such as the Apollo Theater, Studio Museum in Harlem, and Dance Theatre of Harlem) are included in this study along with their dramatic cultural sector growth and parallel change in economic demographics for the Harlem, East Harlem, Washington Heights, and Inwood communities.

Read more here.

Download the report.

"Among the highlights are the following:
•    The number of people employed by the 32 organizations included in the study more than doubled, growing from 1,206 to 2,477 individuals.
•    UMEZ’s investment of $32 million in the 32 study organizations led to their generating an economic output of $206 million in 2010.
•    Contributions from the private sector to the study organizations grew by over 35% from the base year period to the concluding period of the study.
•    $14 million of UMEZ’s cultural investments were directed to capital projects, leveraging $203 million in additional public and private support and adding four new cultural facilities to the Upper Manhattan landscape, including Harlem Stage’s Gatehouse Theater on 134th Street, and the Manhattan Neighborhood Network’s Community Media Center in East Harlem."