The Cultural Council believes that arts and culture in The Palm Beaches builds a stronger economy and drives tourism; unites and engages communities; and enhances education at every level. This is the foundation of the Council’s advocacy program and what motivates strategies and tactics to securing/maintaining funding at the national, state, and local levels; outreach to business and community leaders; and support for arts education for K-12 students.
At-A-Glance
- The sector generates $633 million in economic impact annually and creates 14,212 FTE jobs.
- Cultural organizations are tourism generators. The sector attracts 3.9 million visitors annually and, as part of their experience, they dine in restaurants, shop in nearby stores, and fill nearly 300,000 hotel room nights. Cultural tourists spend 71% more than residents.
- Arts and culture contribute to quality of life and is used as a selling point by the Business Development Board for business recruitment and relocation.
- Cultural organizations enhance education and inspire students and families alike. In FY19, cultural organizations provided 760,000 educational experiences and 82,000 instructional hours to students in Palm Beach County.
Arts Advocacy News
Facts & Figures on the Creative Economy
National Assembly of State Arts Agencies
Posted: March 7, 2017
These statistics from the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) tell about the creative workforce, creative places, cultural tourism, and investment and participation. Read more »Why Should Government Support the Arts?
National Assembly of State Arts Agencies
Posted: May 12, 2016
Fundamental to any democracy are questions about the role of government and how the public sector should support the well-being of its people. Sometimes those discussions turn to the role of the arts. This document from the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies substantiates why the arts are a sound investment, helping states achieve both […] Read more »NEA Releases Three New Reports On Arts Attendance and Economic Impact
Posted: February 26, 2015
Recently, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) released 3 distinct reports on arts and cultural industries explaining how they affect the nation’s economy, and perhaps more importantly, the agency published a comprehensive data set listing the reasons American adults engage in arts and culture. This is the first time one can see the research […] Read more »Cultural Tourism By The Numbers
Posted: February 19, 2015
This study on cultural tourism was conducted by Mandala Research in 2013 and it shows that leisure travelers represent 71% of the U.S. adult population, or approximately 170 million Americans. Seventy-six percent of all leisure travelers, 130 million, can be defined as cultural travelers, having participated in cultural activities on their most recent trip or […] Read more »TAKE ACTION
Arts-friendly policies and funding need consistent support and the Council fights on the front lines to educate elected officials on the economic and quality-of-life benefits of the arts.
The Council can’t tackle these issues alone. Advocacy earns results by participation and strong voices from constituents. That’s you!
It takes two minutes to contact your representative with the simple facts stated here. Please use the links below to do just that.
• Palm Beach County Commissioners
• Palm Beach County Legislative Delegation
• Florida Government Policy Makers
• Find Your House Representative
• Find Your Senator
Research & Reports
Division of Arts & Culture Grants Leave-Behind Document, February 2023
We encourage members of the cultural sector to reach out to their Florida Senate and House district representative to advocate for full funding of the Division of Arts & Culture matching grant program.
Download the PDF »
Economic and Fiscal Impacts of COVID-19 on Palm Beach County Cultural Organizations
Responding to the Coronavirus state of emergency in 2020, the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County issued a survey about COVID-19 impacts on its constituent organizations between March 2020 and August 2020.
Download the PDF »
COVID-19 Impact on the Cultural Sector, January 2021
See the devastating impact that COVID-19 and accompanying shutdowns have had on the cultural industry at local, statewide, and national levels.
Download the Infographic »
The Economic Impact of Cultural Tourism in Palm Beach County (FY2019)
View the results from the FY19 Attendee Surveys and Spending Data from Category B and C-II Organizations
Read the Report »
Arts & Cultural Impact in Palm Beach County – By the Numbers
Cultural Council for Palm Beach County
Arts Education Impact in Palm Beach County
Cultural Council for Palm Beach County
Arts & Cultural Master Plan for Downtown Lake Worth Beach
The City of Lake Worth Beach and the Lake Worth Beach CRA
Arts and Economic Prosperity 5
Americans for the Arts
- Palm Beach County – full report
- Palm Beach County – summary
- Boca Raton
- Delray Beach
- Jupiter
- Lake Worth Beach
- West Palm Beach
Cultural Advocacy Alliance
The purpose of the Palm Beach County Cultural Advocacy Alliance is to gather together the leaders of cultural organizations and the creative sector in Palm Beach County, with purpose, to discuss and act upon issues, projects, campaigns and initiatives of mutual benefit to the respective cultural organizations and to the people who live in and visit Palm Beach County.
This committee is an extension of the Cultural Council’s advocacy work – an integral part of a local arts service agency’s mission – and also includes Council board members and representatives from other advocacy partners from around the county.
This collaborative work will ensure that the arts and culture sector is relevant to the community, its leaders and its citizens, a fact that will be evident because culture will be included in long range plans, funding plans, and important community decisions.
Cultural Advocacy Groups
Find links to local, state and national arts advocacy organizations here:
