One only needs to look at the Downtown skyline to see change happening in front of our very eyes. Tourism numbers are at record levels and more people than ever are choosing Broward County as a place to live.

However, there are many areas of our community that are still dealing with lingering impacts of the pandemic. One of those areas is our arts and culture sector.

Although audiences have returned to in-person events, attendance numbers are still not what they were prior to the pandemic. Additionally, the recovery of revenue in the form of donations, grants and bequests continues to be a challenge for Broward’s small- and mid-sized arts and culture nonprofits.

Despite these challenges, nonprofit arts and culture organizations funded by the Cultural Division contributed a combined total of $79,730,691 in direct spending to the local economy during fiscal year 2022, serving 2,033,561 audience members.

In addition to the direct economic impact to the local economy, Cultural Division-funded nonprofit arts and culture organizations hired more than 7,000 artists and supported more than full- and part-time 3,600 jobs. These are great numbers from a sector still working to get back to pre-pandemic levels on many fronts.

What can you do to further help their recovery? Buy tickets to concerts and events and take your friends!

Introduce new people to our wonderful arts and culture offerings and consider donating to help ensure these artists and organizations can continue to do what they do best.

To find artistic and cultural events and activities arts near you, look no further than ArtsCalendar.com. This free online resource is a great way to learn about what’s happening and gain insight into the talented people and creative venues at the heart of our arts community. While funding may be more challenging lately, it’s still quite clear that the show is going on!