OUR IMPACT

Arts and culture improve the lives of people and communities

Engagement with the arts leads to improved academic attainment, early literacy, and cognitive abilities for children and youth. Arts and culture are key to maintaining healthy communities and attracting new residents and tourists. Engagement with the arts improves mental well-being and life satisfaction.

Arts and culture improve economic outcomes

Alberta employed nearly 50,000 arts and culture workers in 2020. Alberta’s culture-related GDP was over $4.7 billion in 2020. Live performance accounts for approximately 5% of Canada’s total culture-related GDP or over $23 million.

Edmonton Opera has a significant impact on Alberta’s arts, culture, hospitality, and tourism industries

  • Six decades of economic and social impact.

  • Over $3 million economic activity within our region each year.

  • Over $2 million per year employing arts workers including artists, directors, designers, skilled artisans, administrators, stage crew, and technicians.

  • Engage in business with 100+ private-sector vendors, including hospitality, tourism, event services, venue rentals, flights, hotel accommodations, insurance, media, telecommunications, utilities, transportation and trucking.

  • 10,000+ patrons each year attend Edmonton Opera productions — If half enjoy a $50 dinner before the show, and half spend $30 on cocktails afterwards, the impact to the hospitality industry is an additional $400,000.

  • 100+ full-time, part-time and contract employees employed by Edmonton Opera each season.

REFERENCES

  1. https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2018/pch/CH4-187-2016-eng.pdf

  2. https://canadacouncil.ca/research/research-library/2022/06/provincial-and-territorial-indicators-2020