Arts and culture industries create 20,000 jobs, study finds

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Art and culture are key components of Manitoba’s identity and economy, according to new data released by the Manitoba Arts Council on Monday.

A study commissioned by the arts funding agency found creative and cultural industries generated more than 20,000 jobs and $1.75 billion in economic value, representing about three per cent of the province’s gross domestic product, in 2023. Arts and culture tourism also brought $377 million into the province, with this brand of visitors spending nearly twice as much as other tourists.

At the same time, a Probe Research poll conducted in September shows high rates of pride and participation in local arts and culture programming, with some exceptions.

MAC executive director Randy Joynt hopes the tandem findings will help underline the financial and social benefits of art during a time of uncertainty created by geopolitical tensions and the long tail of the pandemic.

“Our cultural sovereignty, our identity, is more important than ever. Manitoba has a unique arts and cultural identity and I think it’s important that we establish that,” Joynt says.

Folklorama, performing arts events, cultural festivals and concerts were the most beloved kinds of activities among respondents. Many also cited arts and culture as important to their mental health and well-being.

Half of all Manitobans are regular arts-goers, with socializing, learning and mental stimulation as the main reasons for attending shows or visiting galleries and museums.

There is notably less participation in the arts among men, those with lower levels of education and rural residents. Men are also less likely to make art and pursue creative hobbies than women.

The gender divide is a worrying trend seen in a lot of public polling these days, says Probe principal Mary Agnes Welch.

“This finding in the arts is one little nugget of a much bigger problem among men. They don’t have as many friends, and they are just not as engaged with community events, cultural events and the high arts,” Welch says.

Only four per cent of rural Manitobans describe arts and culture as a positive community asset, compared with 31 per cent of Winnipeggers.

Access to and interest in the arts are also lacking outside the Perimeter Highway.

“I think rural Manitobans also feel a lot of the arts doesn’t really speak to them, it’s maybe a little highfalutin and not as grassroots. One of the big findings in this survey is that Manitobans genuinely want fun, community-oriented, vibrant experiences,” Welch says.

Respondents were strongly supportive of investing in the arts as a way of improving community connections and creating a sense of shared identity.

The Manitoba Arts Council receives most of its annual funding from the provincial government and distributes about $10 million in grants to local artists and arts organizations each year.

The aforementioned economic-impact study found the council’s 102 operating-grant recipients generated $85 million for Manitoba’s GDP during the 2023-24 fiscal year.

The council plans to use findings from the poll and study to inform the development of its new strategic plan. Joynt hopes the data will also benefit other organizations and embolden the public to get more involved in the local arts and culture scene.

“We want to keep encouraging contributions from the private and public sector, but also from Manitobans,” whether through patronage, volunteering or charitable donations, he says.

eva.wasney@winnipegfreepress.com