Keeping the Arts at the Heart of Our Community
Economic Impact
Partnering with local, state, and national organizations to track the impact of the arts in Buncombe County.
The Creative Vitality Index
The Creative VitalityTM Index is a benchmarking tool that allows users to quickly compare the creative activity of a region to the U.S. average and other peer regions. The CVI measures the concentration of the nonprofit and for-profit arts sectors. The resulting CVI value shows how a regions’s creative activity compares to another region.
Buncombe County
State of NC
United States
Creative Earnings
Industry earnings data is arrived at by aggregating the compensation paid for the labor of all workers in a given industry. These earnings have a big impact on our economy as workers purchase common local amenities such as mortgage, gas, and food and recirculate those dollars back into the local economy.
Up 11% from 2017 to 2018
Up 10% from 2017 to 2018
Number of Creative Jobs
Creative jobs are on the rise! This looks at the number of skilled jobs employed within the City of Asheville and Buncombe County.
Up 5% from 2017 to 2018
Up 5% from 2017 to 2018

Advocacy
Supporting the local creative sector, arts education, equity & inclusion, and arts & wellness
Public Art
Providing local residents and visitors with free, inclusive, and accessible arts experiences


Services for Creatives
Helping artists and arts organizations build, grow, and sustain their businesses