Boulder Ranked Third-Most Creative Small City In America

BOULDER, CO—Boulder has been ranked No. 3 on the 'Top 30 Creative Small Cities List' recently released by the Western States Arts Federation.

The study examined economic signals about how the region’s overall creative economic health is related to the creative sector of the economy, including artists, architects, designers, performers, nonprofits, photographers and more.

"The City of Boulder Office of Arts and Culture also congratulates the arts leaders of Longmont, Louisville, Superior, Lyons, Lafayette and the county’s entire creative community," Boulder officials said in a news release.

Using data from the past three years, the study found that:

• Boulder’s creative industries generate about $117.2 million in annual tax revenue for the local governments.
• Boulder is home to more than twice as many art dealers as the national average.
• Dance companies were the city’s fastest growing creative industry, generating close to $1.8 million in earnings.
• Nearly 12,651 creative workers were employed in this city. Creative jobs were 63% more concentrated in this city than in other similarly sized regions, a number that is projected to grow 10% in the next five years.
• There were more graphic designers employed within Boulder’s creative economy than any other creative occupation, followed by public relations specialists and architects.
• Last year, Boulder’s creative economy generated approximately $52 million in nonprofit revenues into the city’s creative economy.

The data covers the entire Boulder metropolitan statistical area, which includes all of Boulder County.

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