Creative Jobs in Buncombe County: A 2019–2022 Snapshot of Employment Trends

The 2019–2022 Creative Jobs Report provides a detailed analysis of Buncombe County’s creative workforce, examining job trends across core and allied creative industries. Commissioned by ArtsAVL and compiled by Riverbird Research using Emsi and Lightcast data, the report captures a critical period marked by both growth and disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the start of 2019, Buncombe County supported approximately 13,560 jobs in the creative sector. This included both core creative industries—such as museums, performing arts, design, and media—and other creative industries like breweries and architecture.

However, the sector experienced a significant downturn in 2020:

• Total creative jobs fell by 16% (a loss of 2,129 jobs)
• Core creative industries dropped by 12%
• Other creative industries saw a sharper decline of 19%

By 2021, the county showed signs of recovery:

• Creative employment rebounded to 12,648 jobs (an 11% increase over 2020)
• This represented a partial recovery, still 912 jobs below 2019 levels

Key findings from the 2019–2021 period:

• Museums and Motion Picture & Video Production were among the top job gainers, even during the pandemic
• Promoters of Performing Arts Without Facilities also saw modest growth
• The hardest-hit industries included Movie Theaters and Musical Instrument Manufacturing
• Job losses impacted nearly every category, reflecting broader economic challenges across the country

This report laid the foundation for continued tracking of creative industry jobs and informed the development of future snapshots. It highlights both the vulnerability and resilience of Buncombe County’s creative economy and provides essential data for policy, planning, and recovery initiatives.

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