Study: Phila. Region's Cultural Sector Tops Nation in Job Creation

Southeastern Pennsylvania's cultural sector leads the nation in job creation, according to a forthcoming report sponsored by Bank of America and published by the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. Due to be released at their annual meeting on September 24th, the Arts, Culture and Economic Prosperity in Greater Philadelphia report measures the economic impact of the region's nonprofit arts and cultural sector on the wider economy and compares Philadelphia and the region against 181 other cities, regions and communities.

"In many places, culture is viewed as an amenity. Not so in Philadelphia. Here it is interwoven into the fabric of everything we do," says Cultural Alliance President Tom Kaiden. "Arts and culture is a vital regional asset that supports thousands of jobs, benefits business in every industry and helps grow our economy."

Southeastern Pennsylvania ranks 1st in job creation both in the total number of full-time equivalent jobs created (43,700) and in jobs per thousand residents (10.9, double the national average) when compared to other participating regions.

The City of Philadelphia ranks third in per-capita expenditures, ahead of Chicago, Seattle and Atlanta when compared to other cities with comparable populations.

The report also breaks down economic impact by cultural discipline. The full report is available at philaculture.org/prosperity.

Arts, Culture and Economic Prosperity in Greater Philadelphia was made possible by funding from the William Penn Foundation and the Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation. It was also supported in part by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Design, printing and distribution of Arts, Culture and Economic Prosperity in Greater Philadelphia was generously underwritten by Bank of America.

Established in 1972, the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance is the region's premier leadership, research and advocacy organization for arts and culture. Its mission is to "lead, strengthen and give voice to a diverse cultural sector that is making Philadelphia a world-class region to live, work and play."

As a company with employees and clients in more than 100 markets around the world, Bank of America is committed to a diverse program of cultural support which is designed to engage individuals, organizations, communities and cultures in creative ways to build mutual respect and understanding; to strengthen institutions that contribute to local economies; to engage and provide benefits to our employees, and to fulfill our responsibilities as a major corporation with global reach and making an impact on economies and societies throughout the world. Bank of America is one of the world's leading corporate supporters of the arts, supporting thousands of arts organizations worldwide. The program is unique and diverse, and built around three main pillars: Enable, Share, and Preserve.