Power of Culture Blog
A Holiday Message from Michael J. Bobbitt
The Year Behind, The Path Ahead
Bethann Steiner, Senior Director of Public Affairs
Today Mass Cultural Council celebrates news of the Commonwealth’s two-year stretch as the 3rd most arts-vibrant state in the nation, as ranked by SMU DataArts, the National Center for Arts Research.
In the second annual Arts Vibrancy State Rankings, which are based upon SMU DataArts’ Arts Vibrancy Index, the most arts-vibrant areas in the United States are identified through an analysis of the level of supply, demand, and government support for the arts across the country.
For the second year in a row Massachusetts ranks third in the nation behind New York and New Jersey.
The overall Arts Vibrancy Index is composed of 13 unique measures which cover aspects of supply, demand, and public support for arts and culture, and are adjusted for cost of living and population differences among communities. All metrics have been adjusted to per capita measures and financial metrics have been adjusted for cost of living in order to level the playing field across state contexts. The cost of doing business varies based on local conditions, so the same dollar goes further in some communities than others.
| Ranking | State | Arts Dollars Ranking | Arts Providers Ranking | Public Support Ranking | |
| 1 | New York | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 2 | New Jersey | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 3 | 9 | 5 | |
| 4 | Minnesota | 5 | 13 | 1 | |
| 5 | Maryland | 14 | 16 | 3 | |
| 6 | Illinois | 6 | 7 | 10 | |
| 7 | Rhode Island | 16 | 24 | 6 | |
| 8 | Oregon | 4 | 6 | 15 | |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | 7 | 25 | 14 | |
| 10 | California | 15 | 2 | 41 |
