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Creative economy makes $3.7B; group plans to raise that
Published July 30, 2024
The 213-page CREATE Plan includes an interactive map, policy recommendations, and more to show the importance of the creative economy and how to strengthen it.
The Delaware Arts Alliance released a long-awaited, 213-page plan Tuesday that highlights the benefits of the creative economy and its effects on attracting tourism that ultimately generate $3.7 billion.
“This will be the first plan of its type in the nation,” said Neil Kirschling, executive director of the alliance in a press conference last week. “No other state has attempted to put together a plan that aligns its creative economy at the state, county and city levels, and no state has heard from as many as many citizens in its state as we’ve attempted to do here.”
The group defines creative economy as a “dynamic, interconnected network of individuals, businesses and nonprofits dedicated to producing, sharing and celebrating cultural, artistic and heritage-related goods, services and activities.”
It’s made up of performing arts, books and press, design and creative services, music recording, cultural education and more:
“What the headline is of our findings is that the creative economy is a $3.7 billion industry, and it adds specifically $2.2 billion to the economy that would not have been there if it weren’t for the creative economy,” Kirschling said.
Every $1 of output from the creative economy generates an additional 60 cents of output in the broader Delaware economy.
One of the elements of Tuesday’s CREATE Plan release, which in itself is a creative tool, is an interactive map of Delaware that shows what sectors of the creative economy are prevalent throughout the state, while then showing the sub sectors too.
For example, it could show a photography business in Bear, which would fall under the sector of “visual arts and crafts,” and then a subsector could be “visual arts creation” or “cultural education.”
“We’ve been in touch with a number of partners, the state level like the prosperity partnership, the tourism office who have indicated, this will be a helpful tool for the sort of work that they do to help make Delaware a destination,” Kirschling said.
The map is a visual index of 2,534 creative economy assets across the state, and the alliance hopes that creative workers can connect with colleagues in the field using the map.
Use the map here.
The plan also has 25 policy recommendations, divided into eight categories to bolster the creative economy even further: creative economic development, industry support, tourism, funding, education, professional development, infrastructure development and marketing and audience development.
Some examples are:
- Establish creative hubs in each county
- Develop a statewide digital “one-stop shop” for permits and licenses
- Secure arts funding for every student in public education
- Formalize creative economy internships
- Support access to increased public transportation in Delaware
- Offer transit shelter and outdoor advertising space to nonprofits
- Establish a creative economy task force that continues to build cross-sectoral collaboration and engage stakeholders
- Develop a statewide cultural economy brand to benefit tourism, economic development, export, and audience development
“Investing in the creative economy is a gateway to cultivating a unique cultural identity for the First State,” stated Kerriann Otaño, vice president of engagement at OperaDelaware.
She said a robust creative economy means embracing what Delaware has locally and celebrating the talent, uniqueness, and versatility of the state.
“It means the difference between people living in Delaware and spending their arts and culture dollars in big cities or championing and investing in what we have here,” she said.
Read the full CREATE Plan here.