What does this indicator measure?
This indicator reports the annual number of people attending major cultural events in the Dallas region. These data are extracted from the economic impact studies that are commissioned by the North Texas Business for Culture and the Arts.
Why is this indicator important?
This indicator is important because the recorded number of admissions to arts and cultural events is a quantitative measure that helps make clear the amount of public interest, participation, and support for arts and cultural events in the Dallas area.
How are we doing?
Under the commission of the NTBCA, Deloitte & Touche has published five studies that examine the economic impact of arts and cultural organizations in North Texas. One component of the economic impact study, which is published every 2 to 3 years, examines the number of performances and audience opportunities as well as the number of admissions sold.
The 2003 economic impact study reports the following:
- The number of paid performances in the Dallas region increased from 2,862 in 1994 to 4,364 in 2002. It is also noted that an additional 12,478 nonperformance audience opportunities were provided by Dallas area arts and cultural organizations during the 2002 fiscal year.
- It is estimated that 5.4 million individuals, paying an average of $20.50 per event, attended arts and cultural events in the Dallas area.
- Of the seven types of arts organizations identified, museums, education, and music organizations had the highest attendance levels for 2002. Museums also posted the highest level of reduced and free admissions.
- Museums: 2.2 million in attendance
- Education: 900,000 in attendance
- Music: 750,000 in attendance
- In regard to the overall retrospective trend in the Deloitte & Touche estimates for attendance at arts and cultural events since 1995, the data suggest a steady increase from 3.4 million in 1994 to 5.4 million in 2002.
According to data reported in the 2006 economic impact study, the 98 arts and cultural organizations responding to the institutional survey report the following activities for 2005:
- provided more than 7,000 performances and exhibitions and over 23,000 audience opportunities to the North Texas area
- achieved more than 7.9 million admissions to their performances and exhibitions, of which approximately 35% were free or reduced-price admissions
- provided learning opportunities to more than 789,000 school children in North Texas