Oct. 9, 2007

The Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries (HAL) today announced key findings from the CEDOT: Great Lakes Arts, Culture, and Heritage Participation Survey, developed in partnership with Michigan State University (MSU). The long-awaited survey provides economic information from more than 6,000 households in Michigan and the surrounding Great Lakes states, concerning residents' arts and cultural participation and consumerism, from their purchases and travel decisions to employment and education opportunities.

"Using arts and cultural assets to spur economic growth and community prosperity is a top priority for our department and its many partners on this initiative," said HAL Director Dr. William M. Anderson.  "The Great Lakes Arts, Culture, and Heritage Participation Survey offers scientific data that support investment in cultural economic development, verify and test some of our key assumptions, and provide an initial regional base-line assessment of this key sector of our economy."

According to Dr. Anderson, Michigan's cultural sector currently lacks an accessible, uniform, scientific-based method for collecting, measuring, analyzing and reporting data related to its market and non-market values and information about the size of the cultural market and the preferences and behaviors of cultural consumers.  The survey is the first component in the development of the Cultural Economic Development Online Tool (CEDOT), which will evaluate the accomplishments and well being of Michigan's cultural sector.

"Michigan's arts and cultural organizations play a critical role in the health and revitalization of our communities," said Governor Jennifer M. Granholm.  "As we continue to work to transform Michigan's economy, I commend HAL, MSU and the other partners for making culture a driving force in economic development."

Survey findings suggest investment in childhood arts education pays big dividends in adult cultural tourism, consumerism, employment and philanthropy, and that more effort invested in highlighting and marketing Michigan arts and culture at the state and local levels will directly benefit the state's economy:

• Sixty percent of Michigan respondents participated in some type of visual, performing, or literary arts or crafts lessons or classes as children and spent an average of $462 annually for arts education of their children.
   
• Nearly 15 percent of Michigan respondents made financial donations to arts, heritage or cultural organizations and 30 percent of those who volunteered provided one to five hours of volunteer service during the previous 12 months.
   
• Artists are entrepreneurial and want to grow their businesses.  Seventy-five percent of self-identified Michigan professional artists want to support themselves with their arts-related income but face major barriers such as financing, marketing, credentials and location.
   
• Thirty-seven percent of all respondents and 36 percent of Michigan respondents attended theatrical performances over the last year, spending an average of $38, and as much as $250, for a ticket.
   
• Libraries contribute to downtown development and serve as community focal points and information centers; 61 percent of all respondents and 59 percent of Michigan respondents visited a library at least once during the last 12 months, averaging nearly 10 visits annually.
   
• Sixty-two percent of all respondents and 64 percent of Michigan respondents took an average of four pleasure trips to destinations more than 50 miles from home during the last 12 months; 52 percent of them visited some type of historical attraction or site during at least one of their pleasure trips, followed by 40 percent who visited a museum and 40 percent who visited a festival; and 18 percent indicated that cultural tourism was the only purpose for their trip.
   
• Cultural attractions and programs assigned the greatest average importance by all respondents were:  gardens, zoos, aquariums, historical attractions, museums, cultural fairs/festivals, and customs and ways of living.  Opportunities to purchase products grown locally and agricultural attractions and events were also important factors in selecting pleasure-trip destinations.
  

Betty Boone, director of HAL's Office of Cultural Economic Development, concluded, "Ultimately, we believe the survey findings will help guide organizations and communities in strategically investing in their arts and cultural resources, recognizing such resources as assets that not only improve their residents' quality of life but also as major factors in nourishing and growing their local economies."

For more information about the CEDOT: Great Lakes Arts, Culture, and Heritage Participation Survey, contact Dr. Ed Mahoney, director of the Recreation Industries Research Center (RIRC), Michigan State University, at (517) 432-0270 or mahoneye@msu.edu; and/or Betty Boone, director of the Office of Cultural Economic Development, Department of History, Arts and Libraries (HAL), at (517) 241-3973 or bboone@michigan.gov.