Delaware Online

The Delaware Arts Alliance has unveiled a plan intended to boost the state’s creative economy and cultural tourism industry.

The Creative Economy Advancement and Tourism Expansion Plan offers a strategy to strengthen the impact of Delaware’s creative sector and capitalize on the state’s cultural tourism industries.

According to the plan’s report, Delaware’s creative economy generated $3.7 billion in output in 2021 and supports over 18,500 jobs statewide. The industry not only drives innovation, research and development but also plays a major role in tourism, branding efforts and the creation of public spaces.

The CREATE Plan consists of an online map of Delaware’s creative and tourism resources, an economic impact study and 25 recommendations addressing tourism, funding and related matters. The goals of the plan are to:

• Promote economic activity through development in creative sectors
• Make cultural tourism a linchpin in Delaware’s branding efforts
• Expand arts education access for youth
• Encourage cross-sector collaboration
• Address social inequality by integrating creative economy growth opportunities statewide

Interactive map to support creative collaborations

Delaware’s creative economy includes arts organizations, creative businesses and artists like designers, filmmakers, publishers, event organizers and educators.

Incorporating feedback from over 600 residents, the 25 recommendations were developed from a policy analysis covering all three counties and six specific cities: Wilmington, Dover, Georgetown, Smyrna, Middletown and Milford.

Several breakout summary reports provide focused information on specific parts of the full report, including three separate summary reports with recommendations for each county. One-page summary reports are also available in Spanish, Haitian Creole and English.

The online asset map provides information and data to support connections to artists, businesses, events, venues and organizations within Delaware’s creative community and advance opportunities for partnerships. Delaware Arts Alliance has not set a timeline for the plan’s implementation.