Philly is 1st in Arts & Culture

That is, in jobs and job creation.

Although if all of the regular readers remember, Philadelphia was also ranked #1 in “Top US Cities for Culture,” but that is a separate discussion altogether. Now, we’re talking about jobs, tourism, and economic impact.

Here are some of the highlights:

  • $3.3 Billion impact
  • 11 arts/culture jobs for every 1,000 residents
  • $500 Million in combined income
  • Tourists for cultural events spend almost $240 Million (just on meals before/after)

There are more numbers to discuss, but you get the idea. Bottom line, Philadelphia creates jobs through art. Know it, embrace it, and spread the word to all of your out-of-town friends/family.

Philadelphia has been ranked “#1 US City for Culture”

 
For Philadelphians, sometimes there’s nothing better than beating out cities like New York, Washington DC, and Boston when it comes to measuring what a city has to offer; especially in a category like “culture.”

So how did Travel + Leisure measure culture? Some of the categories that pushed Philly to the top of their list were “Historical Sites/Monuments” (we have lots of these), “Sports-Crazed” (no explanation needed), and “Street Food” (just go to University City on a Wednesday at lunchtime). Unless you really stop to think about it, or go on vacation to visit another major city for a few days, it’s hard to see all that Philadelphia has to offer during our daily routines. One major reason, Philadelphia has a large population of locals (call us “provincial”) and we have been known to take our city for granted.

But if you take off your blinders for a day, it’s really not that hard to see why our culture is being recognized. Philly is a big city, but not too big. It has tons of stuff to do, but not too much that you feel overwhelmed. It has unbelievable food options in every neighborhood and surrounding suburb, but you can try almost everything for a reasonable price.

As a loyal Philadelphian, it’s nice to see that our city has been recognized for all that it has to offer; its culture.