STUDY: Non-profit arts activities generate $32 million a year in La Crosse

Data could be used to promote arts for legislation or business groups.

According to a new Arts and Economic Prosperity study, non-profit arts activities generate $32 million a year in local spending.

It’s not something that people typically think brings in dollars, as the city of La Crosse is hoping for a tourism boost this holiday weekend with Riverfest begins a five-day run at Riverside Park on Friday.

Money generated from those events usually are thought of in terms of selling food and beer or, specifically for this year’s Riverfest, country music star Chase Bryant or even the hypnotist.

But culture and the arts are a major draw for La Crosse all year long, and the locally created study that was introduced last night for city officials at the Weber Center downtown shows how the arts have multiple benefits for the city.

“So when we’re talking to legislatures and other businesses … we have something to back it up,” said Michael Ranscht from the Viterbo Fine Arts Center, who led the study. “It’s not just our gut feeling. It’s actual data.”

That money is a combination spent by arts groups and cash spent by people taking part in cultural activities.

Ranscht added that Local government and business can use the study to increase the growth of the La Crosse economy, 

“The chamber will use them, Downtown Mainstreet will use them, Explore La Crosse will use them,” he said. “Everyone will use them in different ways.

“In terms of the arts organizations, they’ll likely use them to leverage additional donors, benefactors and sponsors.”

Similar surveys were done in Eau Claire, Wis., Red Wing, Minn., and Winona, Minn., showing each of those areas are getting millions of dollars a year in benefits from the arts.