Arts and culture mean business in Edmonds

Edmonds is a small community with a big reputation for the arts. Some say your reputation is all you have, but to a city of 40,000 people, what are arts and culture actually worth? The City of Edmonds wanted to know.

In collaboration with AdvisArts, BERK conducted an economic impact study to illustrate the benefits of arts and culture in Edmonds. Every year, the City's arts-related organizations, programs, and businesses generate an estimated $50 million in economic impact and attract tens of thousands of visitors - mostly people who live within a 30-minute drive, which is interesting given that Edmonds is only 15 miles from Seattle. Why are people making the trip?

As an analyst on this project who enjoys the arts and happens to live in Seattle, I'll give you two reasons: traffic here is the worst and Edmonds' offerings are pretty great! Have you heard about the Cascadia Art Museum? I highly recommend it (and the distillery that's right next door, too).

Since 1994, the City of Edmonds Arts Commission has worked to nurture a community of local arts and culture organizations. Nearly 25 years later, that community of more than 100 arts-related organizations not only exists, but it brings a vibrancy to the area that is worth serious money. Go check it out for yourself!

Interior of the summary folio developed by BERK (2018).