PPB July 2021

Ar t s And Cu l t ur e People Love Public Libraries Almost 100 million more people visit their local library every year than sit down at their local movie theater (1.3 billion compared to 1.2 billion) Libraries are visited more than 1.3 billion times each year, which is more than 10 times MLB games (68 million), NBA games (22 million), NHL games (21 million), NFL games (17 million) and NASCAR events (4 million) combined More than 172 million Americans have a library card, which is more than half of the U.S. population Americans check out more than 2.1 billion items from their public library every year, which averages to 16 items a year for every American Source: Institute of Museum and Library Services Art In The Time Of COVID According to a poll by Artnet News, safety is a key concern for most people before they return to a gallery, art fair or museum. 67 % say they are more likely to visit an arts institution if masks are required 69 % say the ability to socially distance is a “very important” or “extremely important” factor in choosing whether to visit The Pandemic’s Effects On U.S. Museums 67 % of museums have had to scale back on education or programming 53 % of museums have laid off or furloughed employees After reopening, 38 % of museums have seen a shift toward more local and younger visitors 67 % of museums replaced an in-person fundraising event with a digital event Sources: American Alliance of Museums and Wilkening Consulting Museums On The Upswing As people become more comfortable stepping out and enjoying their favorite activities again, museum industry revenue is projected to increase 18.9 percent in 2021. This projected growth is also due to increased tourism. Source: IBISWorld 44 | JULY 2021 | GROW Andrii Yalanskyi / Kozlik / Ljupco Smokovski / photo.ua / Pixel-Shot / Puwadol Jaturawutthichai / Regien Paassen / Twin Design / Shutterstock.com.