MID-HUDSON – A new report from the finds that the arts and culture sector has become a significant driver of economic growth in the Mid-Hudson Region, even as the industry faces declining public support and rising financial instability for artists.
The report shows that employment in arts and culture jobs in the Mid-Hudson Region grew 33.7 percent between 2014 and 2024, adding 2,343 jobs. That growth outpaced overall regional employment, which increased 8.1 percent during the same period. The number of resident artists also grew faster than the overall population, rising 11.5 percent.
Despite that expansion, the report warns of mounting challenges. Federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts dropped 47.7 percent in the region between fiscal years 2024 and 2025, falling from $735,000 to $384,500. The number of grants declined from 34 to 15.
The report, Mid-Hudson’s Creative Spark, calls on state leaders to increase investment in the arts, including a proposal to raise operating support for cultural organizations through the New York State Council on the Arts and to further integrate arts funding into regional economic development programs.
Across regions, including the Mid-Hudson, Capital Region and Western New York, arts employment growth has outpaced overall job gains, underscoring the sector’s role in local economies.
The report urges policymakers to stabilize funding, expand access to affordable creative space, and better integrate the arts into economic development strategies, warning that without sustained investment, growth in the sector could stall.
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