Arts Commission Touts Indiana’s ‘Creative Economy’
The commission says the plan is the result of more than a year of research and public input.
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Indiana Arts Commission is touting the impact of the state’s "creative economy." The organization says the first statewide research study into the sector’s economic impact shows more than 160,000 Hoosiers are employed in the arts or arts-related roles.
The commission says creative economy jobs include traditional creative sectors like arts organizations, galleries, design firms and photography studios, as well as arts-related positions in non-created sectors of the state’s economy.
One trend the study shows is that Indiana has a much larger population of self-employed creative workers than the national average. The commission says 57 percent of Indiana’s creative work force is self-employed, compared to 20 percent nationally.
The report also shows creative economy employment is mostly concentrated more urban areas of Indiana, such as Indianapolis and Fort Wayne. Indiana Arts Commission Executive Director Lewis Ricci says the organization is developing a new strategic plan that will include efforts to "bring creative economy employment to more rural areas of Indiana."
The study was conducted by researchers from IPFW and evolved from a regional study commissioned by Arts United of Greater Fort Wayne. The Indiana University Public Policy Institute also collaborated on the project. You can see the report by clicking here.