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San Antonio’s inventive business is not only a cultural cornerstone; it’s a strong financial engine driving our metropolis’s progress and prosperity. The division just lately collaborated with economist Steve Nivin on a examine of San Antonio’s inventive business, which reveals the substantial affect of our vibrant arts scene and demonstrates that creativity is as a lot about economics as it’s about expression.
Financial resilience and progress
Regardless of the challenges of latest years, San Antonio’s inventive sector has proven exceptional resilience. After a major dip in 2020, the business rebounded strongly, with complete financial output reaching $5.18 billion in 2023. This restoration underscores the sector’s adaptability and significance to our native economic system.
The inventive business instantly employed 20,845 people in 2023, spanning varied fields from design and promoting to performing arts and museums. These jobs not solely present livelihoods but additionally contribute to town’s numerous financial panorama.
Past the numbers
The affect of the humanities extends far past conventional financial metrics. Our inventive sector acts as a catalyst for:
Innovation and entrepreneurship: Artists are 3.5 occasions extra seemingly than the entire U.S. workforce to be self-employed, fostering a spirit of entrepreneurship that permeates our economic system.
Expertise attraction: A thriving arts scene helps entice and retain expert professionals throughout all sectors, enhancing our metropolis’s general competitiveness.
Instructional enhancement: The humanities enhance academic outcomes, contributing to a extra expert and adaptable workforce.
Neighborhood constructing: Because the saying by authors Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross goes, “Artwork creates tradition. Tradition creates group. And group creates humanity.” Our inventive business is the heartbeat of San Antonio’s distinctive cultural identification.
Trying forward
Whereas the inventive business has proven progress, there’s nonetheless room for growth. In 2023, 67% of the demand for inventive items and companies was met by imports. This presents a major alternative for native artists and artistic companies to fill this hole, additional boosting our economic system.
A name to motion
As we glance to the longer term, it’s essential that we proceed to spend money on and assist our inventive business. The humanities will not be a luxurious; they’re an important element of a thriving, revolutionary, and economically strong metropolis. Let’s embrace the facility of creativity to drive financial progress, foster innovation and construct a stronger, extra vibrant San Antonio. Our metropolis’s future is being painted, sculpted and carried out as we speak by the gifted people who make up our inventive business. Get to know San Antonio artists and their work as we speak by exploring our Artist Registry.
