MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County’s arts and cultural sector generates an estimated $1.6 billion in economic activity and supports approximately 8,150 full-time-equivalent jobs, according to Jacquie Atchison, executive director of the Arts Council for Monterey County.
The economic impact extends beyond arts organizations and artists to local restaurants, retailers, hotels and other businesses that benefit from spending associated with cultural events and creative industries.
“The creative economy is the economic value generated by people’s creativity, talent, imagination and ideas,” Atchison said in an interview with Monterey Bay Economic Partnership ahead of its Creative Economy Summit on Oct. 22.
The summit will bring together regional leaders to explore how the creative economy can contribute to the region’s economic future.
Atchison said the creative economy encompasses visual and performing arts, music, film, photography, literature, design, architecture, digital media, advertising, cultural heritage, festivals and creative entrepreneurship.
It also includes people working outside traditional arts organizations, such as graphic designers supporting local businesses, filmmakers documenting communities and musicians performing at neighborhood restaurants.
In Monterey County, creative industries intersect with tourism, hospitality, education, agriculture, technology and downtown development, Atchison said. Creativity can help businesses distinguish themselves, attract visitors and contribute to the character of local communities.
One example is the Arts Council for Monterey County’s Open Studios Art Tour, which connects residents and visitors with working artists throughout the county.
While the tour provides opportunities to visit studios and purchase original artwork, Atchison said its economic benefits reach beyond the artists themselves.
Visitors may also dine at nearby restaurants, shop at local businesses and explore neighborhoods they might not otherwise visit. Artists purchase supplies, hire services, promote their work and reinvest their earnings locally.
“Open Studios also gives independent artists something especially valuable: visibility, new customers, professional relationships and opportunities to build sustainable creative careers,” Atchison said.
The resulting economic activity can benefit restaurants, retailers, printers, galleries and other small businesses. Because the tour reaches communities throughout Monterey County, those benefits can extend beyond traditional tourism centers.
Atchison said the county has a range of creative assets, including talented artists, cultural institutions, festivals, galleries, music and theater organizations, educational institutions and diverse cultural traditions.
The Arts Council for Monterey County supports that network through such programs as ArtWorks, which provides affordable studio space and professional development for artists; the Open Studios Art Tour; and First Friday Salinas, which brings creative activity, residents and visitors into downtown businesses.
Despite those resources, Atchison said more work is needed to help artists and creative entrepreneurs afford workspace, access capital, develop business skills and earn sustainable incomes.
She also called for stronger connections between arts education and creative careers, particularly for young people in Salinas, South Monterey County and rural communities.
Arts and cultural organizations could play a greater role in economic development planning, tourism strategies and downtown revitalization efforts, she said. That could include investment in affordable creative spaces, cultural facilities, public art and opportunities for creative businesses to grow.
“Ultimately, we must shift our thinking from supporting the arts simply because they enrich our lives to investing in creativity because it also creates jobs, strengthens businesses, builds communities, and drives economic opportunity,” Atchison said.
For more information about the Creative Economy Summit or to register, visit mbep.biz/creative-economy-summit.
