Arts in the Isle of Man has the potential to generate £6.4 million a year for the economy, a survey by the Arts Council has found.
The Isle of Man Arts Council has evaluated the impact of the year-long Island of Culture 2014 event, which celebrated art and culture across the island.
From surveying the general public and schoolchildren the council found that, on average over a year, attending cultural events leads to a £110 spend per person, in addition to admission charges, and based on the population of the last census that means the arts has the potential to generate £6.4 million a year.
The evaluation also found that residents are highly engaged with the arts, revealing 96 per cent of those surveyed attended at least one event in 2014. 77 per cent said they would feel a great loss if forced to give up arts and culture events and three quarters disagreed with a statement that money spent on arts and culture could be better spent on other things.
Six in ten people stated contemporary music, comedians and local stage musicals had been their favourite events in recent years and the survey showed that 85 per cent of young people took part in at least one activity, with live screenings of War Horse from the National Theatre being the most popular event of the year.
Chairman of the Arts Council Geoff Corkish MBE, MLC, said the information gained from the survey is being used to inform the Arts Council’s new arts strategy, which will be launched at the end of this year, as well as a new website, funding scheme and communications strategy.
The Island of Culture event has also allowed the Arts Council to offer a revised bursary funding scheme for talented students who wish to seek higher or further eductaion in the arts off island.
Mr Corkish said: ‘We have spent much of 2015 reflecting on Island of Culture 2014 and planning our way forward to ensure we capitalise on its legacy and we acknowledge that as part of our findings there are continuous improvements we can make.
‘Island of Culture has been valuable not only because of what it created during 2014, but also as a platform that as an Arts Council we are now exploiting for the benefit of our economy, cultural commuity and young people.’
The most popular activities at the 2014 event was the Loaghtan sheep sculpture erected at the Bungalow, Christmas lantern workshops, film events hosted by TV critic Mark Kermode and an audience with actress and singer Patricia Routledge.