What does this measure?

Total number of attendees at the 15 most attended arts and cultural attractions in the region each year as reported by the Rochester Business Journal.

Why is this important?

Arts and cultural attractions bring visitors and money into the area. Cultural events also help retain local money and interest while contributing to regional prestige and quality of life.

How is our region performing?

Attendance at the largest arts and cultural attractions in the region topped 4 million in 2008, an increase of 9% compared to attendance in 2002. The greatest increase occurred in the music category which grew from 120,000 attendees in 2002 to nearly 452,000 in 2008 in part as a result of the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival and the CMAC Performing Arts Center ranking as top cultural attractions. Attendance at museums and zoos increased by 7% over this time period, while theatre and festival attendance declined slightly.

Notes about the data

Changes in attendance within each category may reflect a change in the types of events ranked as the top 15 in a given year; not a decline in attendance to specific events.