Study shows arts generate $443 million a year in Vermont

Posted on November 17, 2010

Study shows arts generate $443 million a year in Vermont

By Dan D’Ambrosio, Free Press Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 17, 2010

As chief executive officer of Main Street Landing, Melinda Moulton has developed 250,000 square feet of commercial space on the Lake Champlain waterfront that has attracted tenants such as Seventh Generation, The Skinny Pancake and Mirror Mirror. She also built a performing arts center in one of her buildings and has several art galleries as tenants.

“Main Street Landing has been involved in supporting the arts for the last 25 years,” Moulton said Tuesday.

That’s why she took it upon herself to commission a $2,000 study about the economic impact of the arts on the state economy, completed last week by Doug Hoffer, a self-employed policy analyst for the past 17 years who recently ran unsuccessfully for state auditor.

The big number to come out of Hoffer’s analysis: a total economic impact on the state economy from the arts of $443.5 million annually.

Read the study.