CBCA - Benefits

Supports research, education, and advocacy on cultural impact

CBCA’s 2004 Study of Metro Denver Culture documents:
• Arts & culture are big business in metro Denver, generating more than $1.3 billion in economic activity in 2003, including $497 million in new revenue to the metro Denver economy.
• The cultural industry paid $86 million in wages to 9,450 employees and $14 million in payroll, seat, and sales tax in 2003.
• In 2003, cultural and scientific organizations generated $84 million of economic impact through capital expenditures.
• A destination for cultural tourists, metro Denver attracted 2.8 million visitors from outside of the metro Denver region, and 1.4 million visitors from outside of Colorado. This cultural tourism created $403 million of economic impact – new money for the metro Denver economy.
• More than 11 million people attended Denver area cultural activities in 2003.

Stimulates economic development
Cultural activity seeds community development by attracting new businesses, encouraging urban renewal, and improving quality of life.

The Education Commission of the States notes in its November 2004 report The Creative Economy, “More than ever, corporate and employee location decisions are influenced by the existence of strong local arts and cultural opportunities and amenities, high-tech industries and innovations, diverse populations, vibrant neighborhoods, and top-notch entertainment and restaurants.”

Success in the global marketplace is also strengthened by arts, according to a briefing from the National Governors Association. Their case studies demonstrate that the arts encourage tourism, strengthen business networks, build city “brand identity, and position cities for expanding international trade.

The creative economy is a dynamic element of Colorado’s economic development strategies. CBCA helps Denver capitalize on arts and cultural assets to fuel and grow the creative economy and business.

Promotes cultural tourism
Cultural tourism is travel that is directed toward experiencing the rich arts, heritage, and diversity of the people and landscapes of a destination. Cultural tourism is a way to market, promote, and develop our communities using the local culture – museums, historic and heritage sites, and the arts – in order to prolong the average visitor’s stay, to increase the average visitor’s enjoyment and satisfaction, and to draw new visitors to our communities.

Tourism is vital to the stability and economic growth of the state and contributes more than $7 billion each year to the state’s economy. More than 200,000 Colorado jobs are tied to tourism. (CO Tourism Office, Oct. 2004)

92.4 million US adults (46% of all travelers) included a cultural, arts, heritage, or historic activity while traveling 50+ miles in the past year. Cultural tourists spend 44% more per trip, stay 42% longer, and are 33% more likely to stay in a hotel, motel or bed & breakfast. (Partners in Tourism/Travel Industry Assoc of America)

Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper notes, “There’s a lot of data that shows that the people that do want to move companies here and expand companies here get their first exposure to the city as a tourist. That part of our economy – our visitors’ industry – leads to other very potent parts of economic development. (Denver Business Journal December, 2004)

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