Galleries boost local culture and economy

One in three visitors who attend galleries will make a special trip to an area to visit a particular gallery, while a further third of visitors come from within a 15 minute drive time, according to a new report based on research among 59 galleries. The report, compiled by the Audience Finder National Visual Arts cluster in partnership with the Contemporary Visual Arts network (CVAN), reveals how frequently visitors attend, the quality of their visit and how far they have travelled. Based on 25,000 responses by gallery attenders, almost 90% of gallery visitors found their most recent visit enjoyable, 78% thought their visit had taught them something new, and 84% agreed that their gallery experience was both memorable and encouraged them to visit similar attractions. The research also found that an additional £25m (comprising tourism, food and drink and transport spend) was added to the local economy by the presence of gallery visitors in the local area.

Anne Torreggiani – Executive Director of The Audience Agency, which led the research – praised the strength and quality of experience delivered by the visual arts, noting the new evidence of “…the significant impact that galleries have on attracting visitors and spend to their local areas.”Julie Bell, the National Coordinator for CVAN, echoed the emphasis on the economic contribution made by galleries: “These findings demonstrate the unique value that visual arts bring to audiences and local communities, helping CVAN to make the case for greater partnership working between arts organisations, local authorities, tourism, business and regeneration bodies.”