Statewide arts groups say SCFD-funded nonprofits generated $3.12 billion in economic activity; committee urged to support reauthorization

Meredith Badler, deputy director of the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts, told Denver’s Parks, Arts and Culture Committee on Monday that SCFD-funded nonprofit arts, culture and scientific organizations generated $3,120,000,000 in total economic activity in 2024 and urged local officials to help sustain the sector ahead of the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District’s reauthorization cycle.

Badler opened the presentation by describing CBCA’s long-running biennial study of SCFD-funded organizations and said the figure combines direct spending, audience-related purchases and indirect economic multipliers. “If you don't remember any other number from today, remember this one: $3,120,000,000,” she said.

The report, which covers organizations financed through the seven-county SCFD, also found that cultural tourism accounted for about $692,000,000 of the sector’s impact, arts-and-culture engagement totaled roughly 14.5 million in 2024 (a 12% rise over 2022 but still below 2019), and major nonprofit arts employers accounted for 14,466 jobs — an 8% increase over 2019. Badler said personnel costs for those organizations rose about 46% since 2019.

Badler attributed the large 2024 totals to a combination of higher audience spending (tickets, dining, lodging and transport), organizational operations and capital projects and the indirect multipliers used by the study. She noted the analysis relies on BEA (Bureau of Economic Analysis) multipliers applied to SCFD grant-reporting data: “We use multipliers from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis,” she said.

The presentation highlighted shifts in contributed income. CBCA reported $286,000,000 in contributed support in 2024 and said federal pandemic-era support declined substantially after 2022; Badler stated, “We saw a 90% decrease in support from the federal government between 2022 and 2024,” and said individual and foundation giving increased while corporate giving rose only about 4%.

Badler emphasized the role of the SCFD in regional funding, saying it contributed about $85,000,000 — roughly 30% of the pie in the study — and reminded committee members that SCFD reauthorization will be an important ballot decision for the seven-county district ahead of 2028. She also presented CBCA’s statewide policy framework, developed through community engagement, that recommends measures to support creative workers, expand arts education and improve accessibility.

Committee members asked a range of technical and policy questions. Councilman Hines pressed whether the revenue increases reflected higher spending per attendee, underlying multipliers or inflation-adjusted changes; Badler said the study applies BEA multipliers and offered to follow up on whether the published figures are inflation-adjusted. “I wonder if ... you or the experts have done the analysis of that inflation-adjusted change?” Hines asked.

Councilman Daryl Watson and other members pressed CBCA on equity and outreach to underserved communities. Badler described CBCA’s statewide engagement—citing focus groups in places such as the Roaring Fork Valley and La Junta—and pointed to municipal programs such as Denver Arts and Venues that support grassroots festivals and accessibility-focused projects, including the Kiss Fist Mural Festival at Rhino Art Park.

Several councilmembers asked if the regional report is disaggregated to give Denver-specific totals; Badler said CBCA intentionally reports regionally because of SCFD’s regional funding structure and the limits of grant-reporting granularity, and she encouraged members to raise disaggregation questions with Andrea (SCFD) when the district presents in February. She said the next biennial report will use 2026 data and publish in 2027 — the final report before reauthorization.

The committee praised the presentation and urged practical follow-up, from supporting reauthorization outreach to examining how city programs can bolster small, community-based artists and festivals. The chair closed the meeting and noted there were no consent agenda items; the committee adjourned.