This indicator is part of Foster arts and cultures.

Indicator description:

This indicator aggregates a series of interviews with senior managers in the largest arts and culture not-for profit organizations in the Albuquerque area, conducted in late Sping 2008. The interviews were sponsored by the City of Albuquerque and the Arts Alliance, a service and advocacy organization for the arts, promoting the arts to ensure a vibrant and economically healthy community. Interviews were conducted via the telephone, using a questionnaire, developed by the City and the Arts Alliance. Arts and culture organizations provided information on donations by individuals and corporations and foundations, volunteer hours and attendance at performances, as well as other earned income. Expectations for the future three years were also provided. Information from other southwestern cities is not available in a comparable form.

Why is this indicator relevant?

Albuquerque has been recognized nationally and ranked highly as a favorite mid sized art destination (e.g., American Style Magazine). As UNM’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research has noted, arts and culture are now understood to be conditions of prosperity, not consequences of prosperity. Arts and cultural organizations add much to our community, not only economically, but by creating a sense of place, community pride, educational and learning opportunities, increased human understanding and by adding creativity to our quality of life. Arts and culture are necessary to a sustainable Albuquerque. Arts and cultural organizations sustain and grow artistic opportunities in Albuquerque. The efficacy of these organizations is advanced by the support provided by our community.

Data Sources:
City of Albuquerque Office of Management and Budget, 2008, in conjunction with the Arts Alliance of Albuquerque; University of New Mexico, Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BBER), The Economic Importance of the Arts and Cultural Industries in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County, 2007.

What can we tell from the data?

• Individuals support these organizations in many ways – through personal giving, volunteering, and attendance. Almost 80% of these organizations have seen increases in donations from individuals in the last three years and over 60% of them expect that this growth in individual donations will continue to increase.
• Attendance at artistic and cultural events is growing and expectations are that they will continue to increase over the next three years.
• Support from corporations and foundations seems more stable, although almost 44% reported increases over the last three years and another 35% indicated stable support.

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