ArtsAVL Releases Complementary Studies on Buncombe County’s Creative Economy

ASHEVILLE, NC (September 2025) —ArtsAVL has released two major research reports, both prepared by Riverbird Research, that together provide the most comprehensive picture to date of Buncombe County’s creative economy: the 2025 Creative Economy Snapshot and the Economic Contribution of Creative Industries in Buncombe County.

Both reports analyze the same 56 industries that define the creative economy — ranging from independent artists and performers to publishing, film, design, and creative manufacturing — but they do so through different lenses. Rather than competing, they are complementary tools designed to inform local policy, advocacy, and planning.

The timing of these reports is especially significant. In September 2024, Tropical Storm Helene severely disrupted Buncombe County’s creative economy, forcing widespread event cancellations, venue closures, and lost income across the arts sector. That shock slowed growth in the fourth quarter of 2024, and both reports provide important data to measure the scale of that impact while also highlighting the sector’s resilience.

Creative Economy Snapshot: Jobs and Earnings

The Creative Economy Snapshot provides a descriptive overview of Buncombe County’s creative economy through both industries and occupations with data from Lightcast.

• Using the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), the report tracks 56 creative industries to estimate activity such as earnings, sales, and employment.
• Using the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) System, it identifies 66 arts occupations to capture the breadth of creative work across fields like visual art, music, media, craft, and design.

The Snapshot also captures all four worker classifications:

• QCEW Employment (covered by unemployment insurance)
• Non-QCEW Employment (jobs not covered by unemployment insurance)
• Self-Employed workers
• Extended Proprietors (miscellaneous gig income).

This broader scope is key for reflecting the large share of Buncombe’s creative workforce that is freelance or gig-based.

Key findings include:

• Jobs: In 2024, Buncombe’s creative occupations supported 9,061 jobs. Jobs rose 3% between 2022–2023 and 2.5% between 2023–2024, a 16% slowdown. Growth continues, but at a slower pace.
• Earnings & Sales: Both are still growing, but at a much slower pace. From 2022–2023, earnings rose 2.3% and sales 12%. From 2023–2024, earnings rose only 1.7% and sales just 3% — a slowdown of about 25% for earnings and 75% for sales. As the report notes, “it’s like driving: last year we were on the highway, this year we’re down to neighborhood speed.”
• Leading Industries: Historical Sites, Independent Artists/Writers/Performers, Commercial Printing, and Motion Picture & Video Production were among the top creative industries by both earnings and sales.
• Top Occupations: Photographers, writers, musicians, and fine artists remain among the largest creative job categories.

Contribution Analysis: Ripple Effects Across the Economy

The Economic Contribution of Creative Industries in Buncombe County, prepared with IMPLAN modeling, takes a narrower but deeper approach. Unlike the snapshot, it is based only on QCEW employment and proprietor activity as captured in IMPLAN. This means it primarily reflects traditional payroll jobs and business owners, rather than the full gig economy.

From that foundation, the contribution study traces direct, indirect, and induced ripple effects — showing how the creative sector connects to other industries and household spending.

Highlights include:

• Jobs & Income: Creative industries supported 9,203 jobs in 2023, generating nearly $488 million in labor income.
• GDP Impact: The sector boosted Buncombe County’s GDP by $810 million, with a total output of $1.64 billion.
• Tax Revenues: Creative sector activity generated $157 million in tax revenues across federal, state, and local levels — including more than $18 million within Buncombe County.
• Ripple Effects: For every $1 of direct output, an additional $0.56 is generated in the local economy; for every direct creative job, another 0.61 jobs are supported elsewhere.

Complementary Insights

Together, the reports provide a layered understanding:

The Snapshot gives a broad, descriptive picture of the county’s creative workforce — including gig and freelance workers not always counted in official employment statistics.
The Contribution Analysis provides a technical economic model showing how QCEW-tracked creative jobs and businesses generate wider economic value through supply chains and household spending.

“Asheville and Buncombe County have long been recognized for their vibrant arts and culture,” said Katie Cornell, Executive Director of ArtsAVL. “These reports confirm not only the strength of our creative workforce, but also the deep connections between the arts and the wider economy. From freelancers and small studios to major cultural institutions, the creative sector is a driver of jobs, income, and growth — and a vital part of our community’s recovery and long-term resilience.”

“The creative sector is both a cornerstone and a differentiator of the region’s economy,” added Heidi Reiber, Senior Director for Research at Riverbird Research part of Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce. “These findings confirm what many here already know—arts and culture are a powerful economic engine that supports jobs, income, and innovation across the region.”

Looking Ahead

These reports set an important baseline as ArtsAVL prepares for Buncombe County’s five-year Arts Recovery Plan (2026–2030), now in development with Lord Cultural Resources, the City of Asheville, Buncombe County, and other partners.

By combining descriptive labor market data with economic modeling, the findings reinforce what is widely understood in Buncombe County: the creative economy is not only central to community identity but also a powerful driver of jobs, income, and growth.

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