Ventura County Research

While everyone figured the local arts scene in this Southern California area was booming, the Ventura County Community Foundation decided to get the facts. It turns out that arts are bigger news than anyone knew. The number of nonprofit arts organizations reporting more than $25,000 in revenues nearly doubled since 1996. Plus, at a total economic contribution of $121 million, these nonprofits are a major player in the financial mix—contributing to a regional arts economy that is on par with agriculture and construction.

It’s all in Ventura County and the Arts: Impact and Opportunity for Community. The report takes a holistic look at the state of arts in the region: arts’ scale, scope, and economic significance; the nature and needs of arts organizations and artists at work locally; levels of arts participation; and programs for arts education.  Research findings are in turn fueling strategies for ArtsLIVE in Ventura County, a multi-year initiative to strengthen local arts organizations and support local artists.

Key Findings

The following facts help paint the picture of the local arts landscape—and its contribution to community vitality.

1. Arts organizations in Ventura County are growing in numbers and size. Between 1996 and 2008, the number of nonprofit arts organizations in Ventura County registered with the IRS has grown from 213 to 312, and the number of those filing 990’s (forms required for organizations reporting income of over $25,000) increased from 84 to 158. The total revenue of these organizations increased from $10.6 million in 1996 to more than $74 million in returns sampled in 2008.
2. Arts organizations employ or involve thousands of people in Ventura County. Nearly 140 arts organizations surveyed are estimated to employ more than 2,000 people and about 1,000 artists, and involve nearly 8,000 board members and volunteers.
3. The arts boost the local economy significantly. Nonprofit arts organizations in Ventura County bring more than $121 million to the regional economy, are responsible for nearly 2100 jobs in the county and contribute a total of $21 million of tax payment to various branches of government.
4. The arts span all sectors of the economy. Nearly two-thirds of the arts organizations in Ventura County are nonprofit organizations, just over a quarter are for-profit businesses, and 5% are governmental.
5. The arts represent big regional impact. Arts-related businesses in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties and part of San Luis Obispo County generate nearly $2.1 billion in economic benefits, including supporting nearly 20,000 jobs. The arts sector contributes about the same amount to the regional economy as Ventura County’s agricultural production, construction or wholesale trade industries.

Ventura County Community Foundation is a participant in Communities Advancing the Arts, a major funding initiative of The James Irvine Foundation.

Filed under: Supporting nonprofits