OUR IMPACT

Arts and culture improve the lives of people and communities

The research is clear.  

For children and youth, engagement with the arts leads to improved academic attainment, early literacy, and cognitive abilities.  

For adults, there is a strong connection between cultural participation and health, and solid evidence of a connection between culture participation and mental health. In fact, live music and theatre attendance are among the top 3 arts activities that contribute to robust mental health.  

And for communities, arts and culture are key to maintaining healthy communities and attracting new residents and tourists. 

Arts and culture improve economic outcomes

Arts and culture have a significant impact on economic outcomes. 

3 of 4 Albertans attend or participate in arts events or activities. 

Live performance accounts for approximately 5% of Canada’s $58.5 billion culture GDP. 

In 2022, Alberta employed nearly 50,000 arts and culture workers in 2022 and our province’s culture-related GDP was over $5 billion.  

Alberta’s creative sector contributes just over $3.1 billion in labour income for the province. 

Edmonton Opera has a significant impact on Alberta’s arts, culture, hospitality, and tourism industries

  • Six decades of economic and social impact.

  • Over $3 million economic activity within our region each year.

  • Over $2 million per year employing arts workers including artists, directors, designers, skilled artisans, administrators, stage crew, and technicians.

  • Engage in business with 100+ private-sector vendors, including hospitality, tourism, event services, venue rentals, flights, hotel accommodations, insurance, media, telecommunications, utilities, transportation and trucking.

  • 10,000+ patrons each year attend Edmonton Opera productions — If half enjoy a $50 dinner before the show, and half spend $30 on cocktails afterwards, the impact to the hospitality industry is an additional $400,000.

  • 100+ full-time, part-time and contract employees employed by Edmonton Opera each season.

REFERENCES

  1. https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2018/pch/CH4-187-2016-eng.pdf 

  2. https://canadacouncil.ca/research/research-library/2022/06/provincial-and-territorial-indicators-2020 

  3. https://canadacouncil.ca/search-results#q=health%20and%20wellbeing (February 2021) 

  4. https://albertapartnersforartsandculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/QUICK-FACTS-on-Albertas-Creative-Sector_Feb-2020.pdf 

  5. The Conference Board of Canada; Statistics Canada’s Provincial and Territorial Culture Indicators (2016), Business Register (December 2016), Provincial Input-Output Multipliers https://calgaryeconomicdevelopment.com/dmsdocument/267