BEA: Value of Arkansas’ arts and culture sector grew 11% in 2023

Arkansas ranked high in job creation and compensation growth in the arts and culture economy, and was above the national growth trend in the sector, according to a recent report from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).

According to the BEA report, the arts and cultural economic activity in 2023 rose 6.6%, up from 3.8% in 2022. The 2023 data is the most recent available.

“By comparison, the broader economy, as measured by real gross domestic product (GDP), increased 2.9% in 2023 after increasing 2.5% in 2022,” noted the BEA report. “Arts and cultural economic activity accounted for 4.2% of GDP, or $1.17 trillion, in 2023.”

The nationwide “nominal value” — not adjusted for inflation — of arts and cultural economic activity rose 7.6%. Arkansas’ nominal value for the sector rose 11% in 2023.

Nationwide, the arts and cultural share of total GDP ranged from 9.8% in Washington state to 1.2% in Delaware. Arkansas’ GDP share for arts and cultural activity was 2.2%.

Arts and cultural employment nationwide rose 0.3% in 2023, and the total number of arts and cultural jobs for the nation was estimated at 5.4 million. Arts and cultural employment increased in 27 states. The percent change across all states ranged from 7.6% in North Carolina to a decline of 6.6% in Hawaii.

Arkansas’ job growth in the sector was 7.5%, ranking it second in the nation. Oregon was third with sector job growth of 7.3%. In 2023, Arkansas had 32,906 jobs in the arts and cultural sectors, according to the BEA report. Of those, 5,917 were listed as “core” jobs and the remainder as supporting jobs.

Arts and cultural compensation in all 50 states rose 3.6% in 2023, with 43 states seeing a percentage gain in compensation. The percent change ranged from 12.7% in Nevada to a decline of 6.9% in Georgia. Arkansas’ compensation rose 9% in 2023 compared with 2022, with total compensation tied to the state’s arts and cultural economy reaching $2.01 billion.

Jobs in the arts and cultural economy include those in museums, theaters, music venues, filmmaking, associated design and education services, publishing, broadcasting, musical instrument manufacturing and maintenance, photography, and facilities management.