National Creative Industries Reports and Map

AFTA Creative Industries: Business & Employment in the Arts map reports provide a research-based approach to understanding the scope and economic importance of the arts in America. Nationally, 673,656 businesses are involved in the creation or distribution of the arts, and they employ 3.48 million people. This represents 4.01 percent of all U.S. businesses and 2.04 percent of all U.S. employees—demonstrating statistically that the arts are a formidable business presence and broadly distributed across our communities. Arts businesses and the creative people they employ stimulate innovation, strengthen America's competitiveness in the global marketplace, and play an important role in building and sustaining economic vibrancy. Data current as of April 2017.