Arts & Economic Prosperity 5 (AEP5) is Americans for the Arts’ fifth economic impact study of the nation’s nonprofit arts and cultural organizations and their audiences. By every measure, the results are impressive. Nationally, the nonprofit arts industry generated $166.3 billion of economic activity in 2015—$63.8 billion in spending by arts and cultural organizations and an additional $102.5 billion in event-related expenditures by their audiences. This activity supported 4.6 million jobs and generated $27.5 billion in revenue to local, state, and federal governments (a yield well beyond their collective $5 billion in arts allocations). AEP5 is the most comprehensive study of its kind ever conducted. It provides detailed economic impact findings on 341 study regions representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Data was gathered from 14,439 organizations and 212,691 audience spending surveys and our project economist customized input-output models for each and every study region to ensure reliable and actionable localized results. [p. 1]

This national study, conducted every five years by American for the Arts, is the most comprehensive look at the economic impact of the nonprofit arts sector in the country, and is accompanied by trainings and resources to translate data into change.