The Data that Proves Why the Arts Are Good for the American Economy
A recent article on Quartz offers a wealth of data showing how arts impact the economy, public health, and education in America:
The numbers pointing to the importance of the arts in America are astounding. For example, from 2006 to 2013, the arts industry consistently outperformed the overall US balance of trade, increasing the national surplus ten times over. Dance is the leisure activity most likely to help delay Alzheimer’s onset for at-risk adults. Children involved in community-based arts programs are four times more likely to be top academic performers. Facts like these show that keeping the NEA, the NEH, and the CPB in America’s cultural inventory isn’t just a matter of supporting creative expression—it’s an issue of economics, public health, and education, too.