The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
In the fall of 2007, Americans for the Arts released the findings of its 2005 study, “Arts & Economic Prosperity III: The Economic impact of Nonprofit Arts and Culture Organizations and Their Audiences in Gunnison County.”
The report offered evidence that arts organizations contributed $6.35 million locally, supporting 168 full-time equivalent jobs, and generating $448,000 in local and state tax revenue.
As an organization devoted to bringing performing arts to the valley and supporting music education throughout the year, Crested Butte Music Festival (CBMF) set out to determine its portion of that economic impact on an annual basis. Here are some highlights from the 2008 festival.
Total direct cash flow of $394,610 to the local economy. This figure is made up of cash payments to local vendors by CBMF (e.g., printing, lodging for artists, venues, event production, etc.), staff salaries, local spending by artists and their families and friends (food, drinks and shopping), and estimated restaurant business by concert attendees.
CBMF brought in 124 artists for the 2008 festival. They in turn brought 55 friends and family members. All together, the artists spent 1,684 days in the valley (e.g., a guest artist is typically here three days, while a member of the orchestra stays 25 days), while friends and family were here a total of 440 days (on average stayed eight days each).
CBMF’s overall economic impact for 2008 is estimated at $1.38 million. This is based on the projection that the direct cash flow of $394,610 exchanged hands three and a half times within the Gunnison-Crested Butte Valley (a typical “multiplier effect” that was used in the Americans for the Arts survey).
During the 2008 festival, almost 40 performances were presented by CBMF and attended by approximately 3,000 individuals. “There are other economic impacts that we cannot track. Someone may pick Crested Butte over another destination to visit because there is a music festival here, and perhaps exposure to the area leads people to buy property since there is not only outstanding recreation but the arts, great festivals and much more,” says Alexander Scheirle, artistic/managing director for CBMF.
“Although offering exceptional performing arts events to the community is our first mission, we believe that the festival’s cumulative effect on Gunnison Valley’s economy is significant,” adds administrative director Marilyn Krill. “Nationally, people are becoming more aware that nonprofit organizations have an impact on the economy.”
The Crested Butte Music Festival, founded in 1997, brings orchestral and chamber music, opera, jazz, bluegrass, ballet and modern dance and arts education to the Gunnison-Crested Butte Valley. The 2009 festival season will run July 4 to July 31. For more information, visit www.crestedbuttemusicfestival.com or call 349-0619.
