Study illustrates the economic value of Oregon’s arts and culture sector

Think Out Loud

Americans for the Arts, a nonprofit that advocates for arts and arts education in the U.S., released data on how the arts sector affects Oregon. The study showed that Oregon’s nonprofit arts industry generated more than $800 million in economic activity in 2022.

Randy Cohen is the vice president of research for the organization. He has toured across the country discussing findings from the study. He’s currently visiting Eastern Oregon to talk about how the arts sector affects economies in Pendleton, Joseph, Ontario and other communities.

Roberta Lavadour is the executive director for the Pendleton Center for the Arts and serves on the Oregon Arts Commission. They join us with details of the study and how the arts industry affects communities like Pendleton.