New data released on March 30, 2021, by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) describe the national and state-level contributions of the arts and cultural sector to the nation’s gross domestic product in 2019. These data from the Arts and Cultural Production Satellite Account (ACPSA) show the sector as thriving just before the pandemic struck.
Arts and Cultural Production Satellite Account
Produced by the BEA and NEA, the Arts and Cultural Production Satellite Account (ACPSA) tracks the annual economic impact of arts and cultural production, both commercial and nonprofit, nationally and at the state level. The ACPSA reports on the total market value of goods and services as a contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) as well as employment and compensation for 35 key industries within the arts and cultural economy.
The numbers in this report are from 2019, the most recent reporting year.
Arizona’s Arts and Cultural Production, 2019
Arizona’s arts and culture industries contributed $10.87 Billion to the state’s economy in 2019, employing nearly 89,033 Arizonans who earned a combined $5.59 Billion, contributing more to the State’s economy than mining, agriculture, and forestry combined.
Comparing Arts and Culture to Other Sectors of the Economy
Arts and cultural Compensation in Arizona ranked 4th among the comparison sectors. Comparison industries are selected industry categories using the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) drawn from BEA’s 2019 state level data for employment (full-time and part-time workers), compensation and value added by industry. The comparisons are not mutually exclusive—arts and culture includes, for example, portions of other sectors such as construction and retail trade.
Value Added
Employment
Compensation
Comparing Arizona to Neighboring States
| State | Value added to state’s economy | Value added as a share of state’s economy | Employment in the arts | Arts worker compensation |
| Arizona | $10.9 Billion | 2.9% | 89,033 | $5.6 Billion |
| Colorado | $16.3 Billion | 4.1% | 108,462 | $8.7 Billion |
| Nevada | $10.7 Billion | 6.0% | 53,120 | $4.1 Billion |
| New Mexico | $2.9 Billion | 2.8% | 26,373 | $1.6 Billion |
| Utah | $7.3 Billion | 3.8% | 66,624 | $4.0 Billion |
Explore the Data
Alongside the release of the new data, the NEA, BEA, and the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies published resources to help users navigate the data.
- A Key to ACPSA Industries describes the 35 ACPSA industries and the percentage and amount of economic value ascribed to each.
- Through an award from the Arts Endowment, the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) has produced an interactive dashboard that allows users to explore key information for individual states.
- The National Governors Association in partnership with the Arts Endowment and NASAA just published Rural Prosperity through the Arts and Creative Sector: A Rural Action Guide for Governors and States which synthesizes a growing body of research showing how arts-based economic development can help rural communities to thrive.
- An interactive infographic produced by the NEA allows users to get information about their state from a U.S. map.
